


The Hunchback of Lumiose Cathedral: A OC/Pokemon/Amourshipping story

by HAKDurbin



Category: Pocket Monsters | Pokemon (Anime)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-19
Updated: 2021-02-04
Packaged: 2021-03-18 00:14:00
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 17
Words: 74,869
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28857915
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/HAKDurbin/pseuds/HAKDurbin
Summary: Timothy is a disfigured hunchback who is locked in the bell tower of Lumiose City's cathedral where he serves as the bell-ringer. With only his Pokemon companions to keep him company, Timothy wishes to be with other people, but his adopted father, Judge Markenel, has forbidden him from leaving the tower. Meanwhile, Lieutenant Ash and his Pokemon partner, Pikachu, return to Lumiose City to be his father, Captain Giovanni's second-in-command, and fall in love with a performer named Serena and her Pokemon partner, Sylveon. What happens when Timothy dares to leave the cathedral and also falls in love with Serena while Markenel begins to lust for her and desires to destroy the religious group of people and Pokemon she is a part of, the Arceans?Based on Disney's The Hunchback of Notre Dame
Relationships: Satoshi no Pikachu | Ash Ketchum's Pikachu/Serena no Nymphia | Serena's Sylveon, Satoshi | Ash Ketchum/Serena
Kudos: 7





	1. Chapter 1

"Tatiana. Tatiana. Tatiana, wake up."  
A young woman moaned softly and opened her eyes to see a wooden boat's rear side and an Eevee napping next to her. She moved her brown cloak that she was using as a blanket, revealing her dark blue dress and a tiny, oddly-shaped figure wrapped around in cloth lying next to her that she was spooning in her sleep. She sat up from her seat on the boat and looked at her surroundings while scooping the covered figure in her arms.  
A heavy-set man with streaks of red hair on his bald head was gently rowing the boat, and a Golbat was standing at the bow, keeping watch with its wings wrapped around its body. Sitting beside the woman on the right side of the boat was a man and woman in their seventies, and a little Flabébé sitting on the older woman's shoulder. The couple was also covering themselves with cloaks and sitting close together for warmth. Tatiana looked ahead to see the light at the end of the dark tunnel.   
"Are we there, Gray?" The young woman asked.  
The old man named Gray gave her a kind-hearted smile and said, "Yes, my child. We are in Lumiose City."  
Tatiana smiled with her heart full of hope and turned to the Eevee napping next to her. She gently nudged the evolution Pokemon, and it whimpered before it stood and yawned cutely.   
"We made it, Eves," Tatiana said. "We're at Lumiose City."  
"Eevee," the Eevee named Eves said happily.   
"Be quiet!" The fat man hissed. "Soldiers could be anywhere. Do you want to alert them?"  
"Sorry, Xerosic. We'll try to keep it down," Gray said.   
Xerosic sniveled and looked away, still rowing. The passengers looked down at the wooden floor with Gray's arm around his wife, eager to reach their destination. The wind blew harder, and Tatiana heard whimpers coming out of the bundle she was carrying. The figure wrapped in cloth started to cry, and Tatiana gently shushed it while using her cloak to protect it from the wind.  
"Hush, little one," she whispered. "It'll be over soon. We’re going to be safe in the Court of Miracles. I promise."  
The figure kept crying, making Gray worry that it would upset Xerosic. Tatiana held the figure close to her chest and began humming a soft melody while moving her upper body back and forth. The cries slowly died down, and Tatiana closed her eyes, whispering, "That's it," with a serene smile before kissing the figure's head. Gray, Eves, Gray's wife, and Flabébé smiled as they watched Tatiana before the older woman sighed.  
"I hope they really will be safe," she said. "I've heard that the soldiers have become persistent in finding the Court of Miracles."  
"Not to worry, Florence, my love," Gray said. "Madame Magnolia has kept our people and Pokemon safe here for many years. Tatiana will worry about the little one for nothing."  
"Arceus willing," Florence said, holding a small golden cross-like wheel hanging around her neck. "Still, it'll be good to see Madame Magnolia and her little granddaughter, Sonia, again."  
Gray smiled and hummed in agreement.  
"Sonia must be a tween by now," he said.  
"Flabébé," Flabébé said.  
The boat became quiet again, apart from Tatiana humming. Eventually, the boat made it to the end of the tunnel under the docks of Lumiose City. Tatiana looked around to see dark clouds covering the night sky, and there was a faint breeze blowing at the snowflakes falling down. Further down the river were countless wooden houses covered in snow. No light could be seen from the windows inside the homes, for it was past midnight. Xerosic rowed the boat to the shore on the river's right side, and his passengers got out. Gray, Florence, Tatiana, Flabébé, and Eves smiled, knowing that they were so close to their destination until Xerosic cleared his throat.  
"That will be four guilders," he said.  
"Four?" Gray said. "But we agreed to three guilders."  
"That was before you revealed that the young woman was coming with her Eevee and that horrid creature," Xerosic said.  
"He is not a creature!" Tatiana shouted.  
"Eevee!" Eves barked.  
"Easy, Tatiana. Lower your voice," Florence said.  
"But we don't have four guilders," Gray protested.   
"Then you leave me no choice but to take what you have and have my Golbat take care of you," Xerosic said.   
Golbat opened its wings and flapped into the air, giving the passengers a menacing glare. Gray, Florence, Flabébé, Tatiana, and Eves quivered with the young woman holding her bundle in a protective embrace.   
"You...you wouldn't," Gray said.   
"Oh, wouldn't I?" Xerosic challenged with a sadistic grin. "The soldiers here in Lumiose City are always trying to hunt down you Arceans. I wager I would be handsomely rewarded for delivering you lot to them."  
"That won't be necessary."  
Before Xerosic could react, an arrow pierced through his pole. Gray, Florence, and Tatiana gasped and turned around to find that they were surrounded by archers wearing black tights and gray armor. Gray pulled his wife close and stood in front of Tatiana defensively as though she were his own daughter. Golbat screeched in fear and began flying away.  
"Golbat, get back here!" Xerosic shouted.   
His command didn't stop the bat Pokemon from abandoning its master, but before it could escape, a pink beam of energy with bright white energy around it suddenly hit Golbat, and it plummeted into the ground, unconscious. Xerosic looked at his fallen Pokemon in shock before he heard the sound of someone laughing maniacally. Xerosic, Gray, Florence, Flabébé, Tatiana, and Eves, turned to the right side of the shore to see a tall man with short brown hair proudly dressed in golden armor. Beside him was a Persian, whose pink gem was still glowing after using Power Gem on Golbat. The man and his Pokemon looked at their captives with twisted grins.  
"Why should I reward you, bargeman, when I can capture these Arcean swine myself?" The man with the Persian asked. "It doesn't take much to predict that they would try to sneak their way here, thinking the night is their ally."  
"Uh, well, b-b-because it was my plan to bring them to you all along," Xerosic stuttered. "As God is my witness, I never would willingly associate with the Arcean -"  
"Silence, you sniveling coward," the man with the Persian said. "You aren't the first bargeman to make that claim, and you won't be the last. You better pray that the minister won't do to you what he did with the last bargeman."  
Xerosic's fear grew, and he whimpered, "N-n-no, please! D-d-don't send me to him!"  
"I don't have to," the man with the Persian said.   
Xerosic's blood drained from his body, knowing what the man meant. At that moment, the captured Arceans and bargeman heard the heavy sound of hooves stepping on the snow. The man with the Persian's grin grew as he and his Pokemon moved away to reveal a man riding on a Rapidash.   
The Rapidash's fiery mane and tail were burning bright and healthy, and the hair on its body was black as night, a rare color for a unicorn Pokemon's coat. The man was nearing his 50s with his black hair turning gray. He was dressed in a black and purple robe, a purple jumpsuit, and black shoulder pads with red stripes. He had a purple and black striped tricorn hat with a red tassel attached to the bottom that hid his bald spot on the top of his head. When he made his Rapidash halt next to the man of the Persian, he held his hands holding the reign up to reveal golden rings with sapphires, emeralds, and rubies on top that were on his fingers. Gray, Florence, Flabébé, Tatiana, and Eves huddled closer in terror, with Florence clinging on to Gray, knowing full well who was riding the Rapidash.  
"Judge Markenel," Gray whispered.   
Markenel looked at the captives with a condescending look in his cold blue eyes. He smirked as he turned to the man with the Persian and said, "Three Arceans and their Pokemon trying to sneak their way into my city. Well done, Captain Giovanni."  
"Thank you, Your Honor," Giovanni said. "I hope these fools will prove more willing to reveal the location of the Court of Miracles than the last group."  
"I'm sure the Lord will guide us to find the answers we need this time," Markenel said.  
"Never!" Gray shouted. "We will tell you nothing!"  
"We shall see," Markenel said. "Take them to the Palace of Justice."  
Giovanni turned to his men and nodded. Five archers put away their bows and took out shackles and two iron cages. First, they tore Gray and Florence away from each other and bound them and Xerosic, and then they grabbed Flabébé and Golbat and put them in cages. Tatiana turned her back on the soldiers, hoping that they somehow wouldn't notice them, but one of them grabbed her by the shoulder and turned her around.  
"What are you hiding?" The soldier growled.  
Tatiana held the bundle closer to her, covering it with her cloak. Markenel scoffed and said, "Stolen good or tools for pagan practices, no doubt. Take them from her."  
The soldier reached out and wrapped his arms around the bundle. Tatiana tried to break the soldier's hold, but the man was too strong. She felt the small figure beginning to slip from her grasp, and she turned to Eves in desperation.  
"Eves, use Flash!" She shouted.  
Immediately, Eves' body began to glow and with a loud cry, it created a flash that blinded everyone except for Tatiana. The young woman raced past Markenel and Giovanni and ran as fast as she could while holding her bundle close. Eves tried to follow Tatiana, but it wasn't long before Persian recovered from the blast and scratched the little Eevee so hard that it was instantly knocked unconscious. Tatiana stopped for a moment and turned to see Persian about to chase after her.  
"Flabébé use Grass Knot!" Florence shouted.  
Flabébé's eyes glowed green, and two large pieces of grass emerged from underneath Persian and wrapped around its body, trapping it. Tatiana took a step run back for her Pokemon partner before she heard Gray shout, "Tatiana, forget about Eves! Just run! Run, and don't look back!"  
"Run, Tatiana!" Florence shouted. "Get to safety! Don't worry about us!"  
"Flabébé!" Flabébé shouted.  
Tatiana hesitated, not wanting to abandon Eves or the old couple before she turned and ran as fast as she could. The young woman had no idea where she was going, but she knew she had to find a place to hide from Markenel and his soldiers and somehow find the Court of Miracles by herself. She turned from one street to another, hoping that going in different directions would keep the soldiers from being able to track her once they recovered, but she didn't consider the footprints she left in the snow.   
Eventually, Tatiana heard the sound of hooves racing toward her and dared to look back and see Markenel catching up with her on his Rapidash. Tatiana tried to run faster, but human legs could never outmatch the speed of a Rapidash. As the minister grew closer, Tatiana saw a narrow alley ahead and went in right before Markenel could catch her. Markenel's Rapidash neighed and stood up by its hind legs, its master holding on the reins to not fall off. Tatiana kept running through the alley, not willing to risk Markenel possibly getting off his steed to chase her on foot.   
At the other side of the alley, she found herself at Lumiose City square. On the other side was a cathedral twenty-one stories tall. There were three portals at the front of the cathedral; each one had a pair of tall, iron doors. The building walls contained countless religious statues, and the top of the cathedral were two towers standing on opposite sides of the building. Seeing the church as her only hope, Tatiana ran over to the cathedral and began banging on the center doors.   
"Sanctuary!" She screamed. "Sanctuary! Sanctuary! Please, give us Sanctuary!"  
The young woman slammed her fist onto the door as hard as she could, but the doors remained closed. The sound of Rapidash neighing could be heard from the other side of the square, and Tatiana's heart dropped as she turned around to find Markenel charging toward her with his steed. She started running again, desperate to find another way to escape, but it wasn't long before Markenel caught up with her, grabbed the bundle she was holding by the garment, and started yanking it away from her.  
"No! No, please!" Tatiana begged, trying to hold on to the bundle.  
"Let go!" Markenel commanded.  
"Please, don't take him!" Tatiana cried with tears in her eyes. "He's all I -"  
"I said, let go!" Markenel roared.   
With that last word, Markenel lifted his leg and slammed his foot onto Tatiana's face. The young woman's head moved back farther than it should with a snap, and she fell down, head first on the stone pavement. With Tariana's possession in his arm, Markenel sneered and spat on the woman's face while a red puddle appeared on the back of her head. He grabbed the reins to ride back to his soldiers until he heard something crying from inside the bundle.  
"A baby?" Markenel asked. "So, that's why the Arcean wretch was so desperate to -"  
As he talked, he moved the cloth covering the child's face, and he gasped in horror. The baby boy had an upside-down rouleaux triangle-shaped head topped with brown hair, a rectangle lump above his left eye, a large nose, heavy arms, and a large, curved hunch on its back. It was crying with its mouth wide, revealing it's two front teeth sticking out almost like that of a beaver. Markenel covered the child's face again, feeling his stomach turn at the sight of it.  
"It's a monster. A demonic Arcean spawn," Markenel said.   
The judge looked down in thought, wondering what to do with the child. He considered trying to perform an exorcism or perhaps having one of his soldiers cut off the child's head or Giovanni's Persian mauling the ugly thing. But then, Markenel saw a well at the corner of his eye, and he turned to it with a sadistic grin. The old man ordered his Rapidash to walk over to the side of the well, and he leaned to the side to see how deep it was.   
"Perfect. No one would ever find it at the bottom," he thought as he lifted the child up by its cloth and held it above the well. "In the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost, it gives me great honor to -"  
"STOP!"  
Markenel turned his head and saw two figures coming out from the center doors of the cathedral. The first was a thin, middle-aged man, with black, curly hair, bluish eyes, and some facial hair under his ears, wearing white robes with maroon and golden edges, a golden cross necklace, a purple hood, and cloak. Behind him was a nun with green eyes and long blue hair covered by her hood. The man glowered at Markenel as he and his companion marched over to him and his Rapidash.   
"Archdeacon Sycamore, Sister Sophie, refrain yourselves from interfering with my business," Markenel said. "This is an unholy demon, and I'm sending it back to hell, where it belongs."  
"You think me a fool, Markenel?! I can hear that child's cries from the entrance of the church!" Archdeacon Sycamore yelled.  
"This is no child, Your Excellency. It is a hideous beast," Markenel claimed.  
"A disfigured child is still a child of God!" Archdeacon Sycamore barked. "Now, in the name of our Lord, I command you to hand over that baby at once!"  
Markenel paused. His hand longed to drop the baby to its doom, but he could not defy a man of God. With a growl, he begrudgingly handed the baby to Sister Sophie. The nun removed the cloth covering the boy's face and flinched at his appearance before rocking the child and shushing it. Archdeacon Sycamore sighed, relieved that the child was safe, and then turned to Tatiana's body. With crestfallen faces, Archdeacon Sycamore and Sister Sophie walked over to the woman's side, got down on their knees, and the archdeacon crossed himself  
"Lord, please forgive us for not coming to this woman's aid in time," he prayed as he closed Tatiana's eyes.   
"Amen," Sister Sophie said.  
Markenel scoffed and pulled Rapidash's reins, driving it to walk to the archdeacon and the nun.  
"Really, Your Excellence, how can you bear to kneel beside an Arcean?" He asked.   
Archdeacon Sycamore lifted his head to glare at the judge on the Rapidash and said, "A person with pagan beliefs does not justify murder."  
Markenel scoffed again in amusement and said, "My deeds are justifiable. She is a criminal who entered the city illegally and resisted arrest. It is within my right to pursue her, and if she dies in the process, that is her fault."  
"She was a woman protecting her child with no weapon or Pokemon to defend herself!" Sister Sophie shouted.   
"And I am the justice minister!" Markenel roared. "Anything I do is in the name of the Lord, and thus nullifies all transgressions!"  
Sister Sophie stared at Markenel, astounded, while Archdeacon Sycamore yelled, "Your position nullifies nothing! You can trick yourself and your soldiers that what you've done is right with no remorse, but you are still a murderer, and no worldly title will save you from the eternal judgment of our Lord and the Apostles!"  
As he said the last word, the archdeacon pointed up at the statues standing above the portals. Above the right portal stood Simon Peter, Andrew, James, John, Simon, and Matthew. Above the left portal was Thomas, Bartholomew, Phillip, James, the son of Alphaeus, Judas, the son of James, and Matthias, the follower who replaced Judas Iscariot as the twelfth disciple. Between the apostles was baby Jesus held by the virgin Mary, commonly referred to as Maria in the Lumiose City church, with two angels standing beside them.   
But though Archdeacon Sycamore was talking about Jesus who forgives and his followers who will judge the dead, Markenel's eyes were on the statue of Maria. She stood above the other figures in fine robes, holding the Son of Man in one arm and holding a scepter with her free hand, and wearing a large crown on her head. The judge feared how the carving looked down upon him, as though the real Maria's opinion mattered above all others. He began to imagine her looking down at him in disgust for what he had done and, with one word, would have his immortal soul cast into hell. The idea of losing his chance for the blessings of heaven terrified Markenel, and he turned to the archdeacon.   
"What must I do to redeem myself?" He asked.   
"Are you truly sorry for what you have done?" Archdeacon Sycamore asked.  
"Yes, yes, I repent of my wrongdoing," Markenel hastily claimed.   
Archdeacon Sycamore and Sister Sophie stood up, and the former said, "There is only one thing you can do: care for the child, and raise it as your own."  
"What?!" Markenel shouted. "You dare tell me to be settled with this misshapen Arce -"  
The archdeacon gave Markenel a warning glare, and the judge flinched as though a dagger suddenly came close to his stomach. Markenel sighed in defeat but then thought up an idea to compromise with Sycamore's command.  
"Very well," he said. "But if that's how it must be, then let him live with you in the church."  
"Why should we do that?" Sister Sophie asked.   
"If I am to treat the child as though it is my own, then he is to be protected," Markenel said. "You two may be willing to look past its hideous features, but there are people and Pokemon who won't be as kind. He must be kept away where no one can see him."  
"And how do you plan to raise him if you keep him here while you live in the Palace of Justice?" Archdeacon Sycamore asked with a suspicious tone.   
"I will regularly come to tend to the boy," Markenel said. "I will feed him, clothe him, change him, bathe him, and educate him with the word of the Lord."  
The square was silent after Markenel made his claims. Archdeacon Sycamore continued to look suspiciously at Markenel, but the judge kept a calm face. After half a minute, the archdeacon pointed at Markenel and said, "God will hold you to your word, Markenel. Starting tomorrow at dawn, before you begin your duties, you will come here to feed the child his first meal."  
"Understood," Markenel said. "In the meantime, I must return to my troops."  
Archdeacon Sycamore furrowed his brow, knowing that Markenel was eager to leave. He decided to let it go, knowing that the justice minister will carry out his demands for the sake of his soul, and said, "Very well. I will see you in the morning."  
"You shall," Markenel said. "Until then, I bid you both a good night."  
Archdeacon Sycamore and Sister Sophie gave Markenel brief nods before he rode away on his Rapidash. The holy man took a deep breath through his nose and turned around to pick up Tatiana’s body. He began walking back inside the cathedral with the nun walking behind, holding the baby close to give it warmth.  
“Your Eminence, where should we keep the child?” Sister Sophie asked.  
Archdeacon Sycamore stopped walking and looked down in thought. He then lifted his head and looked at the cathedral’s two towers, and nodded.  
“We have a spare room up in the south tower. He will be secluded from society up there,” he said. “When he’s old enough, he will serve the Lord by replacing Brother Ramos as the bellringer.”  
Sister Sophie hummed in approval until she realized something and said, “What should we name him?”  
“That will be for Markenel to decide as his father,” Archdeacon Sycamore replied.

*****************************************************************************************

By the time Markenel returned to the Palace of Justice, Giovanni and his soldiers had already imprisoned Gray, Florence, Flabébé, Xerosic, Golbat, and Eves. Markenel commended his captain and ordered him to schedule a trial in the morning. He then bid his men good night before leaving Rapidash in the palace stables and went inside the palace to his bedroom.   
There was a single bed that was nicer than what most people in Lumiose City had at the right corner of the room, with a wooden bed frame that had carvings of angels and the cross of Christ. A chest containing his nightclothes standing in front of the bed frame, and a large window beside it where he could see Lumiose Cathedral from afar. On the left side, there was a writing desk with the same carvings, a wooden chair, and above it was a large painting of Maria hanging in a golden frame. Markenel stared at the picture before he grabbed his chair and threw it against the wall in a scream of rage.   
"Why?!" He screamed at the painting. "Blessed Maria, why did you allow this to happen?! Surely, there has to be a better way to atone for my mistake than treating a hideous, Arcean creature as though it were my own flesh and blood!"  
The judge growled again and began to pace.   
"I know our lord is just, not fair, but this is hardly a punishment worthy of my misstep!" Markenel shouted. "I'm lucky I convinced that imbecile, Sycamore, to keep that thing away from my home! I would rather die than for anyone to learn that I have an Arcean child for a son! The very thought of raising it with the holy word disgusts me!"  
Markenel slammed his fist on the wall with another yell and turned around to lean his back against it. He covered his face with both of his hands, and his heavy breathing died down. After a few seconds, he moved his hands away from his face to reveal a look of realization. His face lit up, and he began to laugh triumphantly, shaking his fists in the air.  
"Of course!" He shouted happily, turning back to the painting of Maria. "That's why you let this happen. This is an ingenious disgrace to the heathens. You gave the Arceans' most vile offspring to guide him to the Lord instead of letting it grow up to worship Arceus. God must have a plan that you know about that involves using the foul creature to destroy the heathens. It would be crueler than any imprisonment, torture, or execution I have ever sentenced to the Arceans or their Pokemon that I have captured."  
Markenel laughed again before he put his hands together and bowed his head to the painting.   
"Oh, forgive the Lord's servant for his outburst, Maria," he said. "Now, I understand what must be done. I will raise the creature to fulfill the role of the key to the heathens' destruction. It will be like the Apostle Paul taking Saint Timothy, born from a Jewish mother and a gentile father, to be taught the Lord's word and use him to rid places of the world of evil."  
Markenel's eyes widened again, and he lifted his head with another look of realization. After a few seconds, he grinned and looked at the painting of Maria, saying, "Yes. Yes, that's perfect. A bible name to add insult to the fatal wound awaiting the Arcean vermin. Henceforth, if it pleases you, Maria, the child, will serve me under the name Timothy."


	2. Chapter 2

Inside the south tower of Lumiose Cathedral, there was a small, stone bedroom. Inside, the hunchback, Timothy, now twenty-one years of age, slept on an old, wooden bed. He snored as he slept on his stomach, making his hunch look like a mountain with his blanket covering it. From the other side of his bedroom were three Pokemon sleeping in little round beds. A Pikachu was on the bed on the left, cuddled up in a ball, a Riolu was lying down on its back on the right bed, and a Kirlia laid on the center bed, using its hands as a pillow.   
The morning sun appeared through the glass window next to the bedroom door. The light shined on Timothy's eyes, and the young man flinched before turning his head away and opening his green eyes. He sat up from his bed and stretched his arms while yawning, revealing his heavy arms, before walking to the dresser next to his bed. He changed from his nightgown and cap to brown pants, black shoes, and a green shirt made especially for him. Timothy turned to a painting of Jesus and put his hands together before bowing his head.   
"Good morning, Lord," the hunchback said.   
With the brief prayer done, Timothy exited the room, making sure not to wake up the Pokemon so that they could sleep a little longer. He walked through the balcony that connects the two towers toward the north tower. The railing on the balcony had statues of gargoyles on top of them, and below the training were long statues of gargoyle heads. Timothy entered the tower and climbed up the ladders leading to the top of it, where big and small copper bells were hanging on the ceiling.   
The hunchback grabbed a long piece of rope attached to the bells and pulled down with all of his strength. The bells moved back and forth slowly at first until their clappers began banging against the sound bows. Timothy pulled the rope harder until the mighty bells were swiftly rocking back and forth, ringing as loud as claps of thunder so that all of Lumiose City could hear. For two minutes, Timothy rang the bells so that every person and Pokemon in the city had woken up. When he was done, he used the rope to slide down to the bottom of the tower. He went outside to the balcony again just in time to see the Pikachu, Kirlia, and Riolu coming out of his bedroom. The hunchback smiled and walked over to the Pokemon, who noticed him and smiled before meeting him.   
"Good morning, Timothy," the Riolu said.  
"Good morning, Odyssey," Timothy replied, having been with the three Pokemon for so long that he could understand what they were saying. "Did you all sleep well?"  
"I was until you woke me up with those bells," the Pikachu grumbled.  
"Oh, so you had another one of those dreams, did you, Electchu?" Timothy asked. "Let me guess, you dreamt of a Flareon?"  
Electchu looked up at the sky with its paws together in a dreamy look and said, "No, even better. I was running up a hill of flowers, and that's when I saw the loveliest Leafeon any Pokemon could lay eyes on. When she turned to me, it was love at first sight."  
"Oh, for goodness sake," the Kirlia groaned like a big sister annoyed with her little brother. "When are you gonna knock it off with these fantasies?"  
"Fantasies?!" Electchu shouted appalled. "Shockwave, you surprise me. Just because it was a dream doesn't mean it can't happen. For all we know, Archdeacon Sycamore could find another lost Pokemon that could live with us, and it would just happen to be a female Leafeon."  
"Or a Vaporeon, or an Espeon, or an Umbreon, Jolteon, Sylveon, Glaceon, or maybe just an Eevee," Shockwave said.  
Timothy chuckled and said, "Shockwave has a point, Electchu. You never stick to just one Pokemon to dream about."  
"And what's wrong with that?" Electchu challenged. "I'm sure when I find the one, I'll want to be with no other Pokemon. Until then, I'll just keep dreaming."  
Shockwave rolled its eyes while Timothy chuckled again. Odyssey shook its head and said, "Speaking of which, we should check on our little friend."  
"Good idea. It's probably still asleep," Timothy said.  
The hunchback and his Pokemon friends walked to one of the gargoyle statues standing on the railing. Inside the stone creature's mouth was a baby Fletchling sleeping on a nest. Timothy leaned onto the railing on the right side statue with Electchu standing on top of his head, and Shockwave and Odyssey stood on the railing on the other side. The four of them smiled at the way the tiny robin Pokemon was snuggled up in his sleep.  
"Look at the little guy. So cute," Shockwave said.  
"It's still amazing that it's such a sound sleeper," Electchu commented. "A few weeks with us, and it doesn't wake up when Timothy rings the bells in the morning even once."  
"It certainly is a blessing for one so small," Odyssey said.  
Timothy hummed in agreement before he gently nudged the Fletchling with his finger. It took a second before the little bird stood up and stretched its wings with a yawn. Fletchling opened its eyes and looked around to see Timothy, Electchu, Shockwave, and Odyssey.  
"Fletchling," it chirped.  
"Good morning," Timothy said. "How is your wing? Has it fully recovered?"  
Fletchling lifted its left wing and began flapping it rapidly with glee.  
"That's wonderful," Timothy said. "Are you ready to fly then?"  
Fletching's cheerful demeanor disappeared, and it backed away with its wing covering its head.  
"Fletch, Fletching, Fletch, Fletch, Fletchling," it said sadly.  
Timothy frowned and turned to Odyssey and Shockwave, asking, "What did it say?"  
"It said that it doesn't want to try," Odyssey answered.  
Timothy looked back at Fletchling and said, "Are you sure? I would think that today is a perfect day to try. The sky is clear, and there's no wind." He gently scooped up Fletchling from its nest and held it over the railing. "Why, I would love to fly today just to go to the Feast of Fools."  
Fletchling looked down from the tip of Timothy's fingers to look down at the city square. People and Pokemon were setting up tents, tables, barrels of beer, stages, and so forth. Electchu, Shockwave, and Odyssey looked down, and their eyes lit up.  
"Good gracious, is it today?" Shockwave asked.   
"Sure is," Timothy said, his eyes still on Fletchling. "This is our favorite day, Fletchling. Every year we watch the festival from up here. People and Pokemon all over the city come to the square, and they celebrate with food, music, and dancing."  
"Don't forget all the entertainment with plays, juggling, and magic shows," Odyssey added.  
"And so many cute female Pokemon around," Electchu added.   
"Electchu, stop it," Shockwave rebuked.  
But the tiny robin Pokemon did not share their enthusiasm. The view below frightened Fletchling more than anything, and it stepped back to Timothy's palms.   
"Fletchling," it whined.   
"Don't be scared. You can do it, Fletchling," Timothy said. "Just shut your eyes and flap as best as you can."  
"Go for it, Fletchling," Electchu said.  
"We have your back," Shockwave said.  
"Give it your all," Odyssey said.  
Fletchling hesitated before it gulped and spread out its wings with its eyes shut. It took a deep breath, flapped its wings, and slowly lifted itself off of Timothy's hands. Timothy's smile grew and he pulled his hands back. Fletchling slowly opened its eyes and looked down to find itself in the air. It looked around to make sure what was happening was real before its face lit up and it cried out in joy.   
"Fletchling!"  
Fletching began flying around the group, chirping as it flew. Electchu, Shockwave, and Odyssey cheered with Electchu jumping up and down on Timothy's head while the hunchback laughed happily for the little bird. Fletching landed on Timothy's hands and was still chirping with excitement like a child who learned how to do something himself. Timothy continued to laugh while Electchu, Shockwave, and Odyssey were congratulating Fletchling.  
Just then, a flock of Fletchling, Fletchinder, and Talonflame flew above the cathedral. Fletchling jumped up and down from Timothy's hands, flapping its wings in excitement. It then froze for a moment and looked at Timothy, Electchu, Shockwave, and Odyssey with a sad look, but the hunchback smiled and gently stroked the tiny robin Pokemon with his finger.   
"Go on," Timothy said. "Make some new friends and fly wherever you want. No need to stay here just for us."  
The Pikachu, Kirlia, and Riolu nodded, and Fletchling felt better before it turned around and flew away to catch up with the flock. Timothy continued to smile as he saw the tiny robin Pokemon catch up and began befriending the other Fletchling. When the flock was out of sight. The hunchback and his friends sighed before Shockwave and Odyssey got off the railing, and Electchu hopped off Timothy's head.  
"I'm gonna miss the little guy," the Pikachu said.   
"It was nice to have another Pokemon around for a little while," Odyssey said.   
"I'm sure it'll come back and visit someday, and it can tell us about all the new friends and places it's been to," Shockwave said with a smile.  
Timothy's smile faded while he kept looking at where he last saw Fletchling. He looked down where the festival was being set up while resting his head with his hand. He then felt something tug his pants, and he turned to find Electchu pulling them with a smile.  
"Come on, Timothy. Feed us some breakfast already," it said. "We got a big day ahead of us."  
Timothy forced a smile and said, "Alright, let's go upstairs."  
With a cheer, Electchu, Shockwave, and Odyssey went inside the north tower with Timothy following them. The four of them went up the staircase to a room a couple of floors below the cathedral bells. There was a wooden cabinet holding a tablecloth, two plates, two goblets, and three little bowls. Timothy took the bowls and placed them on the floor before taking a bag of Pokemon food lying next to the cupboard and filling up the bowls. He then grabbed a bag of berries and placed a few on top of the Pokemon food. Electchu, Shockwave, and Odyssey rushed over to the bowls and hastily said, "Lord, thank you for this food, bless it to our bodies, amen," before stuffing their mouths with food.   
Timothy smiled for a second at his friends' energy before he frowned again and walked over to the other side of the room. Standing close to an open, rectangular-shaped window were scale wooden models of Lumiose Cathedral and Lumiose City houses standing on a table. There were carved figures of the citizens in the city and their Pokemon standing between the models of their homes, and beside the cathedral model were stacks of wooden blocks and a carving knife. Pieces of broken glass in various colors were hung up above the table like a chandelier.   
Timothy pulled up a stool and rested his arms on the table with a heavy sigh. He turned to the model of Lumiose Cathedral, where at the center was a carving of himself. Since he had never seen his face apart from his reflection from a cup of water, his figure was less well-crafted than the others. Four thin rectangular blocks were used as his legs and arms, a green, oval block was his body, and a round block was used as his head with a triangle for a nose, the left eye painted as a half-circle, and brown spikes on top of its head meant to be his hair. Timothy picked up his figure and placed it in front of the cathedral model, where the other figures were, and started playing them together, imagining himself being friends with everyone in the city.   
Unknown to the hunchback, his three Pokemon friends noticed the gloomy way he played with his toys while they ate. Shockwave furrowed its brow and finished its breakfast before walking over to him.  
"Timothy, what's wrong?" It asked.  
"Nothing," Timothy said without looking at the Kirlia.  
"Come on, you can't fool me," Shockwave said. "Tell good ol' Shockwave about it."  
Timothy sighed before he put down his toys and rested his chin with his arms.  
"I...I just don't feel like watching the festival," he confessed.  
Electchu and Odyssey almost choked on their food and simultaneously shouted, "What" with their mouths full while Shockwave looked at Timothy as if he said a foul word. The Pikachu and Riolu swallowed their food and rushed over to Timothy, and Electchu asked, "Timothy, how can you say that?"  
"I'm just not feeling up to it," Timothy said.  
"Are you under the weather?" Odyssey asked.  
"No," Timothy replied.  
"Then why don't you want to do it?" Odyssey asked. "We've all been waiting a whole year to watch it together, and you were talking about it to Fletchling just like the rest of us. How can you suddenly not want to watch the festival?"  
"I just don't," Timothy said.  
The three Pokemon looked at Timothy as though a completely different person had appeared in his place. Then Shockwave looked at how Timothy had placed the figure of him beside the figures of the citizens of Lumiose City. It didn't take long for the Kirlia to piece together what was on the young man's mind, and it smirked as the solution became clear.  
"Well, if you don't want to watch, then why don't we all go to the festival instead?" Shockwave suggested.   
Timothy, Electchu, and Odyssey turned to Shockwave, surprised by its suggestion. They stood still for a couple of seconds before Electchu's eyes lit up, and it hopped onto the table.  
"That's a great idea!" The Pikachu shouted. "Why should we watch it from up here when we can go there instead?"  
"Yeah, think of the things we can enjoy," Odyssey said. "Watching the plays and magic shows upfront, trying out all of the food..."  
"Not to mention getting to dance out in the square," Shockwave said.  
"And get to meet some cuties," Electchu whispered so that Shockwave couldn't hear.  
"This idea is sensational," Odyssey said. "Let's finish up our food and -"  
"No."  
Electchu, Shockwave, and Odyssey turned to Timothy, who stood up from his stool and said, "We can't go to the festival."  
"Why not?" Shockwave asked. "Don't you want to go?"   
"Of course, I want to go, but you're all forgetting that Master Markenel has forbidden me from leaving the cathedral," Timothy said.   
The three Pokemon froze in place before they simultaneously said "oh," having forgotten about Markenel. Their heads hung low in defeat for a few seconds before Odyssey lifted its head and asked, "Are you sure he can't make an exception for just today?"  
"Positive," Timothy said. "He hates the Feast of Fools. Even if he was willing for me to go outside even once, he'd be furious if I asked to go to the festival. Besides, I wouldn't fit in there because I'm…"  
"A little different?" Odyssey asked.  
Timothy winced and said, "Yes."  
The Pokemon looked at their friend sadly as he began to walk away from them. Shockwave frowned in disapproval and ran over to step in front of Timothy.   
"So what if you're different?" It challenged. "The people and Pokemon out there should judge you on who you are rather than what you are."  
Electchu smiled and got off the table to run over to Timothy and Shockwave, saying, "Yeah, you're a nice guy who likes to craft, has an important position in the church, and takes good care of us."  
Timothy gave his friends a sad smile and said, "I appreciate the encouragement, guys, but no one out there will give me a chance to show any of that if they saw me."  
"You don't know that," Odyssey said, walking over to the group. "If people can look past the unappealing looks of Pokemon like Feebas or Skrelp, they can do the same for you."  
"That's not the same, Odyssey," Timothy countered. "Pokemon like them look that way by nature. There's nothing normal about my appearance as a human."  
Odyssey opened his mouth to counter Timothy but stopped itself, accepting his logic. Shockwave, on the other hand, refused to give up and said, "Timothy, I understand why you're worried, but you shouldn't let your looks or what Master Markenel say always dictate how you live your life. You're twenty-one years old now. You should be interacting with people and Pokemon out there. Think of it this way; Master Markenel is not going to be around forever, and sooner or later, you'll need to take care of yourself without him."  
Timothy shuddered at the thought of Markenel passing away and said, "But Master Markenel still looks out for me. How could I be safe to go out there when he's not there to protect me?"  
"Well, that's all the more reason to ask him to leave when he's still around," Electchu said. "He's the justice minister with all of his soldiers and their Pokemon at his disposal. What do you have to fear when your master can protect you with all of that? Besides, you'll have us too."  
"You want to protect me?" Timothy asked.  
"Of course, we do. We're your friends," Odyssey said. "With or without Master Markenel, we'll be by your side. If any person or Pokemon gives you the stink eye, I'll give them the what for using Screech."   
"I'll send them flying with Disarming Voice," Shockwave said.   
"And I'll put thousands of volts through them with Thundershock," Electchu said. "Come on, Timothy. What do you have to lose?"  
Timothy hesitated before he looked down and thought about everything the Pokemon said. Electchu, Shockwave, and Odyssey waited in anticipation until the hunchback looked back at them with a smile.  
"Alright, I'll do it," he said. "I'll ask him."  
The three Pokemon cried out in joy, jumping up and down like little children. They pounced onto Timothy to hug him, making him lose his balance. He laughed at their enthusiasm as he hugged them back.   
"So, how are you going to ask him?" Odyssey asked.  
"I'll bring it up when he comes for breakfast," Timothy answered. "He should be coming soon, and when he does, I'll wait until we're halfway through our meal and -"  
"Good morning, Timothy."  
Timothy's confidence immediately disappeared as he and his Pokemon turned around to find Markenel having just entered the room. His hair was gray with white streaks, and he was holding a basket with a maroon blanket covering the contents inside. Intimidated by his cold, no-nonsense demeanor, the Pokemon got off Timothy, and he stood up to bow his head.  
"G-good morning, master," he said.   
Markenel walked over to the four of them and asked, "Who were you talking to?"  
"M-m-my friends, sir," Timothy answered.   
"I see," Markenel said, giving Electchu, Shockwave, and Odyssey a condescending look. "And what are your friends, Timothy?"  
"Pokemon," Timothy answered.  
"Can Pokemon talk?" Markenel asked.  
"No, sir," Timothy replied.   
"They are only here because the archdeacon found them and decided to give them to you just to keep you company while I'm gone. Is that correct?"  
"Yes, sir."  
"Have you already fed them?"   
"Yes, sir."  
"Then they have no business being here while we eat, do they?"  
"No, sir."  
"No indeed," Markenel said. "Now, send them away, and we can start breakfast."  
"Yes, sir," Timothy said.   
Timothy turned to Electchu, Shockwave, and Odyssey and gestured to them to leave. The Pokemon immediately obeyed, knowing the justice minister's distaste for them, but they took a moment to mouth out, "Good luck" to Timothy while Markenel wasn't looking before they went down the stairs. Timothy then set up a small, round table and two chairs lying next to the broken statues. He covered the table with the tablecloth, took the goblets and plates from the cabinet, and placed them on the table. Markenel and Timothy took their seats, and the judge removed the blanket to reveal a large book, a bottle of wine, two small loaves of rye bread, and pieces of cheese. He filled the plates with the bread and cheese before pouring the wine onto the goblets.  
"Shall we recite the bible verses I assigned to you last week?" Markenel asked.   
"Oh, yes, Master. I'd like that very much," Timothy answered.   
"Very well," Markenel said. "Leviticus 19:31."  
“Do not turn to mediums or necromancers; do not seek them out, and so make yourselves unclean by them: I am the Lord your God," Timothy recited.  
"Romans 1:18," Markenel said.  
"The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of people, who suppress the truth by their wickedness," Timothy answered.   
"Micah 5:12."  
"And I will cut off sorceries from your hand, and you shall have no more tellers of fortunes."  
"Deuteronomy 12, verses 2 through 3."  
Timothy opened his mouth to answer, but then he stopped himself, realizing he couldn't remember the passage. Markenel frowned and slowly reached out to Timothy's plate, ready to take it away as punishment. Timothy whimpered and bit his lip with his eyes shut. He opened his eyes at the last minute, snapped his fingers, and answered with a bright smile.   
"Destroy completely all the places on the high mountains, on the hills and under every spreading tree, where the nations you are dispossessing worship their gods," he said. "Break down their altars, smash their sacred stones, and burn their Asherah poles in the fire; cut down the idols of their gods and wipe out their names from those places."  
Markenel smirked and moved his hand away from Timothy's plate.   
"Good. Very good," he said. "You may eat."  
Timothy bowed his head in thanks and quietly said grace before eating his breakfast. The two humans silently ate and drank, with Markenel taking out the book and examining the official records inside. Timothy thought about how best to bring up the Feast of Fools and decided to start making small talk before swallowing the cheese in his mouth.   
"Very nice day today, isn't it, Master?" He said.  
"I suppose," Markenel said, disinterested.  
"Did you sleep well?" Timothy asked.  
"Well enough," Markenel replied.  
Timothy took a moment to think of something else to say before he asked, "Isn't Captain Giovanni's son coming home today? You did mention that you summoned him to come back from the wars last week."  
Markenel hummed with his eyes still on his book and said, "He should be."  
"What's his name?" Timothy asked.  
"Ash, if I recall correctly," Markenel answered. "Hopefully, he will be a better lieutenant than my last one."  
"I pray that he will, Master," Timothy said.   
Markenel hummed again, still disinterested. Timothy sighed, accepting that his plan wasn't working. He tried to think of another way to butter Markenel up as he took a bite of his bread before he decided that he should just go for it.  
"You know, Master, I am twenty-one now," he said.  
"Give or take," Markenel said.   
"And that does make me an adult now," Timothy said.  
"I suppose."  
Timothy bit his lip again and shut his eyes as he said, "So, I thought that maybe I could… spend a little time away from the bell tower?"  
The hunchback dared to open one of his eyes slightly to see Markenel finally looking away from his book. Timothy felt a shiver down his spine from the way Markenel was looking at him.  
"Meaning what?" Markenel asked.   
Timothy gulped and looked away from Markenel, playing with his fingers as he said, "Well, maybe it would be okay if Electchu, Shockwave, Odyssey, and I would attend the Feast of -"  
"No."  
Timothy winced by the way Markenel sharply spoke. Instinct suggested that he left it, but the young man chose to trust his friends' logic.  
"But, Master, it might not be as bad as you think," he said. "It might be good for me to go out once in a while."  
"I said no, Timothy."  
"People and Pokemon might not hate the way I look, and if you did, my Pokemon would be there, and you and your soldiers and Pokemon would -"  
"ENOUGH!!!"  
Markenel turned the table over, the dishes and food falling to the floor, and the wine bottle broke. Timothy fell over his chair and stepped back on all fours until he was in a corner where he could cower like a rabbit. His body was shaking, and tears were running down his face. He felt a hand on top of his head, and he looked up to see Markenel with a remorseful look.  
"Dear, dear, Timothy, I understand how you feel, but it's dangerous out there," Markenel said. "Your heartless mother abandoned you because of the way you look. You know that."  
"I...I do," Timothy whimpered.   
"And anyone else would have drowned you if I wasn't there," Markenel continued. "Besides, your Pokemon are too small and weak to protect you, and even with all I have at my disposal, I barely contain order in this wicked city. If the people and Pokemon in the city saw you, Captain Giovanni and his men wouldn't be enough to protect you."  
"I...see," Timothy said.  
"And don't forget that the Feast of Fools is an Arcean holiday," Markenel pointed out. "If King Lysandre wasn't so amused with the festival that he gave them a permit to host it, I'd arrest all of them. As it stands, this is the one day of the year where they are allowed to come out of their holes and interact with the people and Pokemon in this city, and all I can do is watch as an elected official."  
"That's true," Timothy said.  
"Besides, the Arceans loathe me for the holy justice I've done against their kind," Markenel continued. "If they found out you are my son, they would tear you to pieces out of vengeance against me."  
"I...haven't thought of that," Timothy said.   
"I didn't expect you to, Timothy," Markenel said. "I can only imagine your desire, but you cannot hide that you are a hideous monster, and no one outside of the cathedral would see you as anything else."  
"I understand," Timothy said.  
Markenel hummed in acknowledgment. He turned to the table with all of Timothy's toys and noticed his figure standing with the other figures. He walked over to the table, picked up Timothy's figure, and held it out to the hunchback.  
"Show me where this goes," he ordered.   
Timothy slowly stood up from the corner and took the figure from Markenel's hand. He stared at the figure for a moment before he put it back on the Lumiose Cathedral model. Markenel smirked and pet Timothy's head.   
"I am grateful for everything you have done for me, Master Markenel," Timothy said. "I'm sorry."  
"You are forgiven, Timothy," Markenel said. "But remember, this tower is your sanctuary." He glanced at the food and the broken bottle spilling wine all over the floor. "And clean up this mess."  
"Yes, sir," Timothy said.  
Without another word, Markenel walked out of the room, taking his book and basket with him. Timothy stayed still for a minute before he sighed and began cleaning up the mess. He set the food and broken piece of the bottle against a wall and began washing the wine off the floor with a mop. When he was half done, Electchu, Shockwave, and Odyssey entered the room, looking at their friend worriedly.  
"So…" Odyssey began. "Judging by the yelling we heard from outside, I take it he didn't say yes?"  
"No. No, he did not," Timothy said, not looking at his friends as he mopped.   
"But, didn't you tell him about how you're an adult and how we can protect you and he would be there with his soldiers?" Electchu said.  
"I did," Timothy said. "He said that you guys are too small and weak to protect me and that everyone out there would overpower his troops."  
"But you still want to go," Shockwave said.   
Timothy stopped moping and stood still for a few seconds.   
"I do," he confessed. "Against my better judgment, I still want to go to the festival. If I could do it once, I won't ever do it again."  
"Well, maybe there is a way you can go without Master Markenel knowing," Odyssey said. "After all, what he doesn't know won't hurt him."  
"What's the use, Odyssey? I'll be recognized instantly," Timothy said. "If we go out there, I'll be attacked, and you guys won't be able to help."  
Electchu, Shockwave, and Odyssey frowned and hung their heads, not knowing what else to say. Electchu sat down on its bottom and scratched his head until it noticed the blue curtains in the corner of its eye, and a devious smirk entered its face.   
"Well, we can't do anything about us protecting you, but we could do something about you standing out."


	3. Chapter 3

On the other side of the city, people and Pokemon were entering Lumiose City for the festival. Among those entering the main gate were a man in his mid-twenties with messy raven hair, brown eyes, and z-marks on his cheeks. He was dressed in blue-and-white armor hidden by his cloak, and a Pikachu was standing on his left shoulder. The man looked around with a bright smile, took a deep breath through his nose, and let it out with an "Ah."  
"Do you smell that, Pikachu?" He asked. "That's the smell of home. Five years of fighting, and here we are as though we never left."  
"Pikachu!" His Pikachu replied.  
The man giggled with his mouth closed and said, "Right. Now that we're back, we just gotta get to the Palace of Justice, and I'll show dad that I'll be the best lieutenant Minister Markenel could ask for."  
"Pikachu!" Pikachu exclaimed.   
The raven-haired man smirked and walked down the road with his head held high while his Pokemon held on to his shoulder, but after half a minute, his proud demeanor faded away, and he slowed down to a halt.  
"Uh, how do we get to the Palace of Justice from here?"  
Pikachu turned to its partner, dumbfounded while the man scratched his cheek. The mouse Pokemon was embarrassed that its friend never thought that he could have forgotten where to go after being away for so long. The raven-haired man chuckled nervously and looked around until he saw an old fisherman with short gray hair sitting on the edge of a bridge with a fishing rod. He walked over to the fisherman and tapped his shoulder, startling the older man.  
"Huh? Who? What? Wazza?" The fisherman said.  
"Excuse me. Sorry to bother you," The raven-haired man said.  
The fisherman turned to the raven-haired man and his Pikachu and asked, "Who are you?"  
"My name's Ash, and this is my partner, Pikachu," The raven-haired man replied.   
"Pikachu," Pikachu said.  
"Ah, pleased to meet you. I'm Rodman," the fisherman said with a friendly smile. "What can I do for you?"  
"I'm looking for the Palace of Justice," Ash answered.   
"Are you now?" Rodman said. "In that case, just keep going down the main road until you make your way through the marketplace and then take a left. Just keep going straight until you get to the palace from there. You can't miss it."  
"Great. Thanks," Ash said.  
"My pleasure. Take care now," Rodman said.  
"You too," Ash said as he walked away and turned to Pikachu. "Take a left past the marketplace and keep going straight. Sounds easy enough. We should be there earlier than Dad's expecting us."  
"Pikachu," Pikachu agreed.   
Thus, the raven-haired soldier walked down the road with his confident demeanor back. Eventually, Ash and Pikachu made it to the marketplace and began squeezing their way through the crowd of people and Pokemon.   
Halfway through the marketplace; however, Ash heard the sound of a horn and a tambourine. Curious, he walked closer to where he listened to the music until he found a large group of people gathered around in a half-circle around the corner of a building. Ash squeezed his way through until he was at the front of the circle, and he and Pikachu stared in awe at what everyone was watching.   
A scrawny man with a curly goatee was sitting on a stool, playing a horn. In front of him was a purple hat lying upside down with a couple dozen coins inside. A Chatot stood above the wall, looking around the area with caution.  
But Ash and Pikachu didn't pay attention to the man or the Chatot. Their eyes were fixed on something else.   
At the center was a woman with honey blonde hair holding a tambourine and a Sylveon next to her. The woman wore a white top with a teal and gold bodice, a purple sarong, and a white petticoat. Ash's mouth opened as he was transfixed by the blissful look on her angelic face with a beaming smile, and her ocean-blue eyes full of life. She was taking delight in how people and Pokemon loved watching her dance barefoot while shaking her tambourine. Meanwhile, Pikachu gazed at the woman's Sylveon, allured by its beautiful pale cream and pink coat and the way it happily danced with the woman.   
When the music ended, the honey blonde woman and her Sylveon bowed, and the audience applauded. The crowd began to disperse, with a few people tossing a coin or two into the hat. Ash took out five gold coins from his pouch and dropped them into the hat, surprising the honey blonde woman.  
"Thank you so much, sir. That's very kind of you," she said.  
"No problem," Ash replied with a toothy grin. "Pikachu and I really enjoyed your dancing. Didn't we, buddy?"  
"Pikachu!" Pikachu answered.   
The woman giggled with her mouth closed, and her Sylveon smiled at Pikachu cutely. Suddenly, the Chatot screeched at the top of its lungs, and the scrawny man, the honey blonde woman, and her Sylveon instantly became afraid. Before Ash could ask what was wrong, the three of them began running away with the Sylveon holding the hat with its feelers. The intertwining Pokemon ran for a couple of seconds before it tripped on its front paws and fell down front first. The coins flew out of the hat, and the woman rushed to her Pokemon's side to put the coins back in.  
"Serena, forget the money! Just run!" The scrawny man called out.  
But Serena didn't listen to her companion. She was not willing to leave without the money, no matter the risk. Sylveon used its feelers to collect the coins with her as fast as they could, but as soon as Serena put the last coin back in the hat, she saw two pairs of iron boots right in front of her. She looked up to see two soldiers giving her condescending looks. One was a man with purple-brown eyes and short green hair, and the other was a woman with purple eyes and gold hair worn in pigtails. The Charlot flew away while the scrawny man paused for a moment and ran out before the soldiers noticed him. Serena frowned and stood up to walk away as if nothing was going on, but the soldiers immediately grabbed her arms and held her back.  
"Where do you think you're going with all of that money, Arcean?" The green-haired soldier asked in a raspy voice.  
"For your information, I earned this money," Serena replied coldly.  
"Ha! Arceans don't earn money," the female soldier said as she reached out for the hat. "They steal it."  
"You know all about stealing, don't you?" Serena remarked, moving the hat out of the soldier's reach.  
"Ah, a troublemaker, eh?" The first soldier said with a grin. "Why don't we see if a few days in the stocks will teach you a lesson."  
Serena glared daggers at the green-haired man and said, "I have a better idea. Sylveon, Swift!"  
Before the soldiers could react, Sylveon jumped into the air and threw several gold stars at their heads. The soldiers let go of Serena and rubbed their heads in pain, and Serena shouted, "Now, use Fairy Wind!"  
With a loud, "Sylveon," the honey blonde woman's partner summoned a gust of silver wind, sending the soldiers flying into the wall, and Serena and Sylveon took the opportunity to run away in the direction where their companion left. Ash and Pikachu smiled, happy that they got away, and the raven-haired man walked away like he didn't see anything. He only took only a few steps before he felt a hand grab him firmly by the shoulder, and he turned his head to see the green-haired soldier.   
"Where is the Arcean woman?" He demanded.  
"What Arcean woman?" Ash asked.   
"Don't lie. You saw her get away," the soldier said.   
"I don't know what you're talking about," Ash said. "I'm just passing by."  
The blonde soldier clenched her teeth as she took out a dagger and pointed it at Ash, saying, "Defending Arceans will get you flogged and imprisoned, peasant."  
Ash frowned and swatted the green-haired soldier's hand away. Before the two soldiers could react, he moved his cloak back, drew his sword, and held it close to the female soldier's throat. Pikachu hopped off Ash's shoulder and prepared to attack with sparks coming out of its red cheeks.   
"And what kind of punishment is there for threatening the captain's second-in-command?" Ash asked.   
The soldiers froze in place as they got a good look at Ash's blue-and-white armor. They turned to Pikachu and then back at Ash before they moved back and saluted.   
"L-l-Lieutenant Ash, sir!" They simultaneously stuttered.   
"That's better," Ash said while putting his sword away. "What are your names?"  
"Private Butch, sir!" The green-haired man replied.   
"Private Cassidy at your service, sir!" The blonde woman replied.  
Ash hummed while keeping a serious face and asked, "Now, what's this about an Arcean woman?"  
"Sir! We were trying to arrest an Arcean woman before her Sylveon attacked us!" Butch said.  
"How long ago was this?" Ash asked.   
"Just a minute ago, sir!" Cassidy answered.   
Ash looked down and put his hand on his chin, pretending to be deep in thought. Then, he looked up at the soldiers and said, "She must not have gone far. Let's split up and look for her." He pointed at where he and Pikachu entered the marketplace. "Private Butch, you go that way." He pointed in the opposite direction and said, "Private Cassidy, you go this way. I'll take the west road. Move out!"  
"Yes, sir!" Butch and Cassidy shouted simultaneously.   
The two soldiers ran in opposite directions, bumping into people and Pokemon as they left the marketplace. Ash smirked and gestured Pikachu to hop back onto his shoulder before running in the direction where Serena and Sylveon disappeared.  
"Pika?" Pikachu asked.  
"They may have escaped, but I want to make sure," Ash explained. "They might run into more soldiers."  
"Pika," Pikachu said with a nod.   
The raven-haired man looked around as he ran, hoping he was getting close to the Arcean and her Pokemon. Then suddenly, while they were crossing a bridge, Ash heard the sound of a woman hissing in pain. He and Pikachu looked around, confused since there was no one nearby, until they heard Sylveon's voice from underneath the stone bridge. Ash leaned in from the edge and saw Serena sitting under the bridge with Sylveon next to her. The honey blonde woman had lifted her sarong up to her knee, and her hand was on her leg. Serena lifted her hand slightly to reveal blood coming out from the cut. Ash jumped over the edge with Pikachu still on his shoulder and landed close to Serena and Sylveon. The honey blonde woman gasped, and Sylveon stepped in front of her defensively.  
"Easy. Easy. It's just us," Ash said, holding his hands up.  
But with his arms spread apart to show his armor, Serena moved back in fear, and Sylveon clenched its teeth, ready to attack. Pikachu hopped off Ash's shoulder and said a set of "Pika" and "Pikachu's" to Sylveon, but the intertwining Pokemon refused to back down.   
Ash looked down and realized that he gave himself away as a soldier and said, "Don't worry. I'm not going to arrest you."  
Serena backed away further, and Sylveon raised its feelers, preparing to use Fairy Wind again. Ash frowned, wishing there was a way he could make the honey blonde woman believe him. Then his face lit up, and he undid his belt containing his sword. Serena watched him curiously as Ash held up his belt to show that it was off and tossed it to the ground behind him.   
"See? I can't arrest you if I don't have a sword," he said.  
But Sylveon kept its eyes on Pikachu, thinking Ash might tell his partner to attack when its guard was down. Knowing what was on the Pokemon's mind, Ash turned to Pikachu and said, "Get behind me, Pikachu."  
Pikachu turned to Ash, confused before it silently backed away. Sylveon kept its eyes on Pikachu suspiciously, unconvinced with the soldier's move. Ash looked back at Serena, who appeared to have eased up, and said with a smile, "Let me have a look at your leg."  
Sylveon growled at him and prepared to fire golden stars at his face. Serena hesitated until she looked deep into Ash's brown eyes and saw no hint of deception in them. She debated with herself for a few seconds and decided to roll the dice.  
"Stand down, Sylveon," she said.   
Sylveon turned to its friend, surprised before it reluctantly backed away. Ash's smile grew, and he slowly walked over to Serena with his hands still up. He got down on one knee in front of Serena and gently moved her hand back to look at the cut. Serena and Sylveon oversaw Ash, with the latter still eager to attack, but then Ash grabbed the edge of his cloak and ripped it off. He soaked the fabric with water from the river and turned back to Serena, still smiling.  
"Hold still," he said. "This might hurt a little."  
He put the torn fabric on the cut, and Serena winced from the touch. Ash held his hand up to assure Sylveon that everything was okay before he continued to clean the cut. Serena kept her gaze on the soldier as he washed her leg, astonished that he was helping her. Ash noticed Serena staring at him and gave her a friendly grin that made her heart skip a beat and her cheeks warm up.   
When he finished cleaning, Ash tore off part of his cloak again and wrapped it around Serena's leg. He then stood up and offered his hand to Serena. The honey blonde woman hesitated again before she took Ash's hand, and he pulled her up so hard that they were almost in a hugging position. Serena looked up at Ash with her cheeks still pink, her ocean-blue eyes gazing at his brown eyes until she snapped out of it and backed away from him.  
"Thank you," she said, not looking at Ash.  
"No problem," Ash replied with a toothy grin.   
By this point, Sylveon had eased up, finally accepting that the soldier wasn't a threat. It then turned to Pikachu, who was cheerfully smiling at the intertwining Pokemon just like its partner. Sylveon looked away from Pikachu, suddenly feeling as bashful as Serena.   
Suddenly, the moment between the two adults and their Pokemon was interrupted by the sound of armor from above the bridge. Ash frowned and turned to Serena.  
"Stay here. We're gonna drive them away," he said.  
Serena didn't get a chance to reply before Ash ran over to where his belt was and put it back on. Pikachu hopped back onto his shoulder, and they gave Serena and Sylveon one last look before they climbed back up the bridge. Ash climbed over the railing just in time to see Butch and Cassidy turn in his direction. He brought back his serious look as the two privates rushed over to him.  
"Lieutenant, have you found the Arcean woman and her Pokemon?" Butch asked.   
"No, there's no sign of them anywhere," Ash lied. "They are long gone."  
"Blast!" Cassidy growled. "That Arcean swine should have been imprisoned if it weren't for her Sylveon."  
Ash resisted the urge to scream at Cassidy for calling Serena a swine and said, "Well, there's no point in dwelling in it. I'm sure we'll get another chance. Now, if you'll excuse me, Pikachu and I need to report to the Palace of Justice."  
"Of course, sir. In fact, allow us to escort you there," Butch said.  
"That would be most helpful," Ash said.  
The two privates smiled and began leading Ash and Pikachu to the palace, ordering citizens to make way as they walked. As they followed the two soldiers, Ash and Pikachu looked back at the bridge, hoping that their deception saved Serena and Sylveon, and wondered if they would meet the beautiful woman and her Pokemon again.


	4. Chapter 4

Serena had her hand on her leg as she went down a narrow, stone hallway, ignoring the pain she was feeling from her cut. Sylveon followed behind, worried about how its partner was limping as they reached a wooden door at the end of the hall. The Arcean woman knocked on the door once and then paused before rapidly hitting five more times. They waited a few seconds before a small window on the door opened to reveal a set of dark green eyes. The person on the other side made a sharp gasp before the door flung open to reveal a woman in her mid-thirties with brown hair looking at Serena as if she was a ghost.   
"Serena? You escaped?" she asked.   
"Yes, Alexa, I did," Serena said. "Where's your sister?"  
Alexa hesitated and said, "Viola's with the kids and her Pokemon right now."  
Without saying another word, Serena walked past Alexa, with Sylveon walking behind. They entered a set of old catacombs where people and Pokemon were living in tents and wagons. Some of them march to the other end of the catacombs, carrying banners, balloons, food, and barrels of beer. Most of them were in colorful clothes and carrying jiggling pins, props, musical instruments, and other entertainment equipment with their Pokemon. Serena and Sylveon made their way past the crowd with many people and Pokemon looking at them in disbelief and whispering among themselves. Finally, they walked to a corner where a blonde woman a few years younger than Alexa played with some children with a Vivillon, Sirskit, Caterpie, Kakuna, and a Volbeat. The woman was smiling as she watched the children play with the Pokemon until she noticed Serena walk over to her and looked in shock.   
"Serena, you escaped," she said.   
"I know," Serena said as she took out the hat of coins and held it out to the older woman. "Thirty-two coins. It should be enough for some people and their Pokemon."  
Viola was still staring at Serena for a moment before she snapped out of her gaze. She took the hat and looked at the coins before she answered, "Y-yes. Yes, This will put some bread on the table for a few families."  
"Wonderful," Serena said with a smile.  
"Serena!"  
Serena turned around to see a woman around her age with short blue hair, red eyes, and wearing a teal and green dress running toward her with a Slurpuff following. The blunette pulled Serena into a hug with tears running down her face.   
"Thank Arceus! I was so worried!" She sobbed. "When Jethro told everyone what happened in the marketplace, I thought we lost you!"  
Serena kept her smile and petted the blue-haired woman's head as she hugged her back.  
"It's okay, Miette," she said. "Sylveon and I are just fine. Aren't we, Sylveon?"  
"Sylveon," Sylveon replied.   
Miette broke the hug and said with her hands on Serena's shoulders, "What were you thinking? I told you soldiers patrol the marketplace."  
"I know, but there were so many people and Pokemon out there who loved our performance and gladly gave us money," Serena said. "Besides, Chatot was there to alert us."  
"But you almost got captured!" Miette countered before she noticed Serena standing on her leg funny. "Wait, is something up with your leg?"  
"Oh, yeah. I got a cut while Sylveon and I were running away," Serena explained.  
"You what?!" Miette shouted. She got down on one knee and lifted up Serena's sarong to see her leg bandaged with part of Ash's cloak. Miette gasped as if the whole leg was damaged and said, "We have to get you healed right away!"   
"Miette, it's not that bad," Serena said.   
"Yes, it is. We can't have you performing while you're injured," Miette said.  
She grabbed Serena's wrist and pulled her deeper into the catacombs with Sylveon and Slurpuff following behind. Miette led her friend to an old man with a bushy white beard and a young girl with orange hair sitting on benches beside a wagon. Serena and Miette sat down on one of the benches, and the girl summoned her Chimecho, who began unleashing a pulse of pink energy on Serena's leg. While the wind chime Pokemon was healing, Serena explained to Miette and her Slurpuff everything that happened after Jethro and Chatot fled. Miette stared at Serena, astounded as she told her what happened with Ash and Pikachu under the bridge.   
"I've never heard of a soldier wearing blue and white armor, but if he was with those other soldiers, then he must be one of Judge Markenel's troops," Miette said.   
Serena smiled as she looked up and said, "But he was so kind to me, Miette. He didn't care about who I am."  
"Of course, it looked that way. He was trying to let your guard down," Miette said. "You are so lucky, Serena. If you stayed there any longer, he would have come back with a dozen soldiers and their Pokemon to capture you and Sylveon."  
"No, he wouldn't have," Serena said, looking disapprovingly at her friend. "Driving the soldiers away only to come back with more is too elaborate of a scheme. If he really wanted to arrest Sylveon and me, he and his Pikachu would have done it in the marketplace before the other soldiers came."  
"Don't give me that," Miette rebuked. "You need to be more careful. It's dangerous out there. Captain Giovanni and his men are always out there to capture Arceans and try to torture them into revealing our location."  
"But that's the risk we have to take, isn't it?" Serena challenged. "If we don't perform or sell trinkets, we can't buy food for ourselves. Yes, Sylveon and I could have been captured, but we escaped and came back with over thirty pieces."  
"Thirty pieces won't matter if you're not here to perform at the festival," Miette countered.  
"Miette is right, Serena."  
Serena, Miette, Sylveon, Slurpuff, the old man, and the orange-haired girl turned their heads to see a slender woman in her mid-thirties walking over to them. She had a fair face and peach hair tied to a side ponytail and wore a white top with a teal bodice and a tan shirt. Her aqua eyes were fixed on Serena as she stood in front of the honey blonde woman.  
"Madame Magnolia," Serena said.  
The peach-haired woman chuckled and said, "Serena, please stop calling me that. Madame Magnolia was my grandmother." She turned to the orange-haired girl and asked, "Is her leg going to be alright, Maya?"   
"Don't you worry, Sonia. Chimecho's Heal Pulse should be done any second," the girl named Maya answered with a smile.   
As if on cue, Chimecho finished using its power on Serena's leg. Sonia kneeled down and untied the torn fabric to show Serena's leg to be good as new.  
"Thank Arceus," Sonia whispered before looking up at Serena. "Serena, you and Sylveon can't go performing in the marketplace and get yourselves in trouble when it's almost time for the festival. I need my best performer."  
Serena's frown deepened, and she said, "I know. I get that Sylveon and I are new to the city, but I can't help but want to go out there and dance."  
"And that drive is what makes you a wonderful performer, who helps keep our people and Pokemon fed, but the Feast of Fools is the only time we can be out there to make real money without being hunted down," Sonia said. "I'm counting on you more than anyone to make more money than we've ever made before at the festival."  
Serena hung her head and said, "I wish our holiday isn't being used just to please those who look down on us."  
Sonia gave the honey blonde woman a sad smile and put her hand on her shoulder.  
"We all do, Serena," She said. "It's despicable that we have to use our festival to keep us alive just because we don't share their beliefs, but that's just how things are. This is how it's been in Lumiose City since my grandmother led the Arceans."  
"But that can't be how it is forever," Serena said. "There are people and Pokemon in the city who don't look down on us because of who we are. I can see it in the eyes of so many that watch Sylveon and I dance. Maybe there is a way we could all be friends, and they would be willing to help us."  
Sonia and Miette looked at Serena with sad smiles while Sylveon frowned, sharing its partner's feelings. The peach-haired woman took Serena's hand and said, "You are a very benevolent woman, Serena, and I admire your optimism, but that can never happen. We are lower than dirt in the eyes of their religious beliefs, and that's all we're going to be. We can only do what we can and hope that Arceus will protect us."  
Serena looked away for a moment, disheartened by Sonia's words. Then she turned to the leader of the Arceans with a small smile and said, "You're right. We can only do what we can for now, and Sylveon and I will do our very best."  
"That's what I like to hear," Sonia said. "Now, come on. The festival is in a couple of hours, and we need you ladies and your Pokemon to get ready."  
"Yes, ma'am," Serena and Miette said at the same time.  
"Sylveon," Sylveon said.  
"Slurpuff," Slurpuff said.  
The three women stood up, and Serena took a second to thank McConn, Maya, and Chimecho before following Sonia to a secret passageway to the city square. As they followed other people and Pokemon to the festival, Serena's smile disappeared, and she turned to Sylveon, who was looking at its partner concerned as it walked beside her. No words were said between the honey blonde woman and her Pokemon, but none were needed, for deep down, they chose to believe that there was hope for change.

*********************************************************************************************************

Meanwhile, up on Lumiose City's surface, Ash and Pikachu reached the Palace of Justice with Butch and Cassidy. The two privates guided Ash and Pikachu through the front gate and up the stairs to one of the palace's top towers. Inside was an office where Giovanni was filling out paperwork with his Persian napping next to him. Butch and Cassidy saluted and shouted, "Sir," grabbing Giovanni's attention. The captain's eyes immediately met Ash's, and the raven-haired man saluted with a smile.  
"Reporting for duty, father," Ash said.  
"Pikachu," Pikachu said, saluting while standing on Ash's shoulder.   
But Giovanni frowned and said, "That is no way to address the captain, Lieutenant."  
Ash and Pikachu flinched from the rebuke, and Ash cleared his throat and said with a serious face. "Yes, sir. Sorry, sir. Lieutenant Ash and Pikachu reporting as ordered, sir."  
"Pikachu," Pikachu said.  
"That's better," Giovanni said before he glanced at his candle clock. "Now, explain why you're late."  
"Sir, Pikachu and I were en route to the Palace of Justice when we came across Private Butch and Private Cassidy pursuing an Arcean and her Pokemon," Ash explained.   
Giovanni turned his eyes to Butch and Cassidy and asked, "Is that so?"  
"Yes, sir. We spotted an Arcean woman and a Sylveon stealing money at the marketplace," Cassidy answered. "The lieutenant ordered us to split up, but we were unable to apprehend them."  
"Hmmm. Disappointing, but not uncommon," Giovanni said before turning back to Ash. "I expect you to be more productive in the future, Lieutenant."  
"Yes, sir," Ash replied.  
"Good," Giovanni said before he noticed the tear in Ash's cloak. "Now, get rid of that pitiful cloak and meet me in the dungeons to report to Minister Markenel in five minutes. Dismissed."  
"Sir," Ash, Butch, and Cassidy said, saluting.   
The three soldiers and Pikachu left the office and went back down to the main floor to go their separate ways. Ash and Pikachu found a place to dispose of Ash's cloak, and the former sighed before turning to his partner.  
"I don't know what I was thinking, Pikachu," Ash said. "I should have known father wouldn't have liked me greeting him so unprofessionally. Guess years away made me forget how strict he is."  
"Pikachu," Pikachu said sadly, with its ears hanging low.  
Ash looked down, dejected for a moment before he shook his head, turned back to Pikachu with a smirk, and said, "Let's not worry about that. We just got back, and he's still expecting a lot from us. Let's not let father or Minister Markenel down."  
"Pika!" Pikachu cheered.   
Ash chuckled at his partner's enthusiasm, and the two of them went down the stairs to the dungeons. The rapid sound of whips cracking could be heard before Ash and Pikachu made it to the bottom steps. Ash opened the door to find Markenel standing against the wall in front of the torture chamber entrance. The judge had a twisted smile as he watched the whipping from a distance.   
"Stop," he commanded.   
The sound of whips halted, and two soldiers carrying whips came out from the chamber and saluted as they asked, "Sir?"  
"You're hasty," Markenel said. "Ease up. Halt between lashes. Otherwise, the old setting will dull them with the new."  
The soldiers grinned sadistically and said, "Yes, sir," simultaneously before going back into the chamber. Just then, Ash felt a hand on his free shoulder, and he turned his head to see Giovanni and Persian. The captain cleared his throat while putting his feet together and his hands behind his back. It took a second for Ash to realize what his father wanted and quickly followed suit before Giovanni called out to Markenel.   
"Minister."  
Markenel turned to them, and he looked at Ash with a friendly smile.   
"Ah, Captain Giovanni's one and only child back from the wars," he said.  
"Lieutenant Ash and partner Pikachu reporting as ordered, sir," Ash said, mimicking his father.  
Markenel circled around Ash and Pikachu to get a look at them and said, "Your service record and your lineage precedes you, Lieutenant. I expect the best from a soldier of your caliber."  
"And you shall have it. Pikachu and I won't let you down," Ash promised.   
"Pikachu," Pikachu said, impersonating Ash's serious tone.   
Markenel hummed in amusement and said, "Soldier and Pokemon acting confident together. Amusing. I should note that your father's last second-in-command was, to put it charitably, a bit of a disappointment."  
At that moment, two loud cracks were heard inside the torture chamber, and the sounds of a man and a Charmander screaming echoed the room. Ash and Pikachu felt shivers down their spines while Giovanni and Persian kept their cold faces like nothing happened.  
"Well, no matter," Markenel said, smirking at Ash. "With your upbringing, I'm sure you'll do just fine assisting Captain Giovanni in… heh heh, 'whipping' my troops to shape?"  
Ash silently gulped and said, "Uh, er, yes, sir. It, uh, it will be a tremendous honor, sir."  
Markenel chuckled with his mouth closed before he waved his hands and said, "Walk with me. All of you."  
Ash, Giovanni, and Persian silently obeyed with Pikachu still on Ash's shoulder. They followed Markenel back up the staircase to one of the top levels of the palace. The justice minister led them down the hall to a large balcony to see the city as far back as Lumiose Cathedral. Markenel looked at the view for a minute with a loathsome look.  
"Are you glad to be back home, Lieutenant?" He asked.   
"I am, sir," Ash answered.   
"I'm glad to hear it," Markenel said as he turned his body to face the young man. "You have returned to Lumiose City in its most dangerous hour. It will take a lot of work to protect the simple-minded citizens from being misled."  
"Misled, sir? From what?" Ash asked.   
"Arceans," Markenel answered with a drop of venom in his voice. "They have been living outside our natural order, attempting to sway our people from God's light with their pagan practices, and they must be stopped."  
Ash and Pikachu looked at each other confused, and the former asked, "You mean you summoned Pikachu and me from the wars just to capture entertainers and trinket sellers just because they came here illegally?"  
"Lieutenant, know your place," Giovanni warned.   
Ash cringed as though Giovanni screamed the command at him, while Markenel chuckled and held a hand up.  
"At ease, Captain. There's no reason to berate the boy," he said. "I'm sure what I am saying seems a poor substitute for everything he and his Pokemon have done outside of Kalos. Isn't that right, Lieutenant?"  
"Yes, sir. It is," Ash said.  
"Understandable. Your deeds have brought honor to Kalos and to the crown," Markenel said. "But you must understand, Lieutenant, the real war is a spiritual fight for our city's soul. They may seem like mere illegal immigrants, but their presence is all it takes to taint the hearts of Lumiose City's citizens with their heathen worship in a Pokemon. Since before you were born, I have been taking care of the Arceans one by one. And yet, for all of my success, they continue to thrive."  
"And you wish for Pikachu and me to make a grand contribution in your crusade?" Ash asked.  
Markenel chuckled again and said, "I like where your head's at, but I'm hoping that you will aid the captain and me in doing far more than that."  
"More, sir?" Ash asked.   
"We have reason to believe the Arceans have a hideout," Giovanni explained.  
"Yes. For the past several years, there have been whispers of a safe haven within the very walls of Lumiose City. A nest if you will," Markenel said with a devious smirk. "They call it the Court of Miracles. Amusing, isn't it?"  
"Yes, sir, it is," Ash lied. "So, our primary objective is to find the Court of Miracles and imprison the entire Arcean population in the city?"  
Markenel tittered as if Ash told him a bad joke and walked closer to the raven-haired man until they were a foot apart.  
"A predator doesn't just hold down its prey after his long pursuit, Lieutenant. He mauls," he said, putting emphasis on "mauls" with a low growl.   
Ash and Pikachu were keeping calm on the outside, but their hearts were shaking as their minds went to Serena and Sylveon. They thought of the honey blonde woman and her Pokemon screaming in agony as they are flogged or worse before they are eventually hanged or beheaded along with the other Arcean people and Pokemon. Neither of them shared their beliefs in the mythical Pokemon, Arceus, but they did not see that as any reason to destroy a whole community. At that moment, they realized what Markenel and Giovanni expected Ash to take part in, and neither the raven-haired man nor his partner could believe it.  
"You make your point perspicuously, minister," Ash said.   
Markenel smirked and put his hand on Ash's shoulder as he said, "You know, I like you, Lieutenant. You strike me as someone sharp like your father."  
"You honor me, sir," Ash said.  
Giovanni smirked as he watched their interaction, pleased that the young man was submissive. The moment was broken when the three men and Persian and Pikachu heard the faint sound of music and cheering, making Markenel and Giovanni sigh.  
"Oh, it's that time already," the judge said. "Have you ever gone to a peasant festival, Lieutenant?"  
"Er, well, the captain forbade me from going to one growing up, sir," Ash answered.   
"Oh, did he?" Markenel said while giving Giovanni a look of approval. "Well, duty dictates that I attend to them, so this shall be quite the education for you and your partner. Your first assignment will be to keep an eye on the citizens while I begrudgingly make my appearance." He then turned to Giovanni and said, "Captain, gather your troops and prepare my carriage. Oh, and don't forget to give your new second-in-command a Ponyta."  
"At once, sir," Giovanni said before turning to Ash and Pikachu. "Lieutenant, come with me."  
"Yes, sir," Ash said.  
The captain and the lieutenant give Markenel a salute before Ash followed his father back inside. As they made their way back to the staircase, Ash's professional face turned into a look of unease. He turned his head to Pikachu, who had the same look of trepidation. Their dreams of Ash enjoying a career as his father's second-in-command were dashed, and they felt trapped with no other choice but to follow orders for something horrible. All they could do was mentally pray that Markenel would never find the Court of Miracles or lay a hand on Serena or Sylveon.


	5. Chapter 5

The city square was packed with people and Pokemon all over the city. The Arceans had finished setting up the festival with stages, banners, musicians, food, barrels of mead, beer, wine, and cider. The entertainers were in tents, putting on costumes and makeup.  
Up in the top balcony of Lumiose Cathedral, Electchu, Shockwave, and Odyssey helped Timothy put on his cloak and hood made up from one of the curtains in his room underneath the church bells and some rope. When the Pokemon finished, Odyssey put the hood on Timothy's head, and he backed away to give the disguised hunchback a good look.   
"It's perfect," the Riolu said. "The hood and cloak cover him just right."  
Shockwave nodded and turned to Electchu, saying, "I got to hand it to you, Electchu; I'm impressed that you are capable of coming up with a good idea like this."  
The Pikachu glared at the Kirlia and asked, "Was that a compliment or a shot?"  
"Pick one," Shockwave replied.  
Timothy chuckled at his Pokemon's childish behavior before he gave a hesitant look and asked, "Are you guys sure this will work? What if my hood comes off or something?"  
"Then, you just don't partake in any activities that require you to take it off," Shockwave answered. "Just stay in the crowd and watch all the shows and stuff. Maybe grab a plate of food and find a place to eat in secret so that you've tried it."  
"But are you sure you guys don't want to come with me? I hate to leave you behind," Timothy said.  
"We're sure," Odyssey said. "If any of us are there, Master Markenel might recognize us if we're not careful. Besides, this is more for you than for all of us."  
"Exactly," Shockwave said. "So, go on. Have fun and tell us all about it when you get back."  
"And bring us some souvenirs if you can," Electchu added.  
The hunchback smiled at his loyal companions and pulled them into one big hug, saying, "You guys are the best friends I could wish for."  
"Ugh, thanks, Timothy, but maybe you should get going before the festival starts without you," Electchu said, gasping for air.  
Timothy let go of his friends and gave them an apologetic look, and said, "Okay, I'm off."  
He went over the railing and climbed down, using the cathedral's columns and many statues of angels, apostles, and gargoyles. When he made it to the ground, Timothy sneaked his way into the crowd before anyone noticed that he climbed down from the building. He squeezed his way through people and Pokemon until he was in front of the main stage, having watched the festival long enough to know that the opening ceremony took place there.  
Suddenly, a group of Arcean men sound their trumpets, and a cloud of purple smoke emerged from the center of the main stage with a loud crack. The crowd gasped before Sonia came out from the smoke, wearing gold earrings, white heart-shaped decorations on her hair, two gold bracelets, a yellow top with a violet bodice, and a fuchsia skirt. The men in the crowd whistled and howled in adoration for her attractive features, earning disapproving glares and smacks in the face or head from their wives and suitresses. The peach-haired woman cackled with her mouth closed, taking pleasure from the attention before she raised her hands in the air and spoke out loud to her audience with a bright smile.  
"Welcome one and all to the Feast of Fools!" She greeted. "I'm so happy to see so many of you here to join us this year!"  
People and Pokemon all over the square screamed and cheered before Sonia continued.  
"Once again, we come together for a wonderful time of food, music, dancing, and letting out the childish, frivolous, and altogether goofy parts of ourselves!" She announced. "We have plays, games, puppet shows, and all other forms of entertainment to make us all laugh until our sides are sore! This will no doubt be the greatest Feast of Fools we have ever had!"  
The crowd cheered again, with Timothy happily applauding in giddy excitement.  
"Without further ado, let us begin the Feast of Fools!" Sonia shouted with her hands in the air again.   
The audience cheered with confetti and streamers thrown high into the air, and the crowd dispersed. Timothy followed the largest group closest to him to keep himself from standing out. He followed the group to a platform where two Arcean men wrestled with an Ursaring and a Pangoro. Everyone laughed as the men tried with all of their might to drag Ursaring and Pangoro to the floor. The two bear-like Pokemon looked at each other with unamused looks before they smacked the men off of them, making them comically fall off the platform.   
The audience laughed out loud, and the entertainers stood up and challenged people to try their luck. A pair of heavy-set men emerged from the crowd with confident grins and got on the platform, but no matter how hard they tried, they were no match for the strength of Ursaring and Pangoro. The Pokemon pushed the men away, and they fell flat on their backs. The audience laughed again, and the entertainers helped the fat men's families get them back on their feet. Suddenly, Timothy heard the sound of cheering, and he turned to see people and Pokemon gathering around on opposite sides of the square.  
"Hey, the Fool Parade is starting!" A woman behind Timothy shouted.  
The hunchback's eyes lit up, having watched the parade from above the cathedral with his friends, and rushed over to join the crowd. He squeezed his way through until he was at the front of the path just as the parade started. First, four lines of Oricorio, one for each style, were dancing down the street with Arcean women and girls dancing behind, wearing dresses in the dancing Pokemon’s colors. Next came six Houndoom wearing feathered hats on their heads and holding the reins to six men wearing nuzzles with their front paws. The men were walking on all fours while the Houndoom were standing on their hind legs, giggling with their tongues sticking out, making it look like they were walking the humans as though they were dogs. Following the Houndoom were Arcean men and women balancing on top of several Voltorb and Electrode with their hands. Behind them were Arceans dressed in white outfits with paint on them, comically running around the street in panic while Smeargle were chasing them, trying to paint on their clothes with their tails. After them were a group of entertainers bouncing on top of Drifblim, floating ten feet into the air. The humans spun and did flips into the air as they jumped on the blimp Pokemon like trampolines. Next came a group of Chandelure, who were also high up on the air, rocking back and forth while performers held on to the Pokemon's arms for dear life. Finally, stilts performers followed behind the rest of the parade while juggling Exeggcute.   
The audience was laughing and cheering throughout the entire parade. The twenty-one-year-old hunchback laughed like a little child even after the parade had ended with tears running down his face. Eventually, Timothy quieted down and felt the smell of meat go up to his nose. He followed the scent to where people and Pokemon were filling plates with bread, fruit, and vegetables and getting in line around where a large slab of meat was roasting over a fire. Timothy felt his stomach rumble, and he decided to grab a plate before getting in line. He waited patiently before he could fill half of his plate with a small loaf of bread and some fruit and vegetables and eventually made his way to the end of the line where the cook cut off a leg and put it on Timothy's plate. Timothy began looking around for a place to eat in secret when he accidentally bumped into a man, who was standing beside a barrel of ale.  
"Sorry, sir!" Timothy said, bowing his head to his face with his hood.   
"All good, sonny," the man replied, smiling through his bushy mustache. "It's pretty crowded over here, ain't it?"  
"Yes, it is," Timothy said.   
The man noticed Timothy's plate and said, "Ooo. Got yourself a leg there, did ya? Lucky you. You got some ale to wash it down?"  
"Wash it down?" Timothy asked.   
The man chuckled before he took out a mug and filled it with ale, saying, "Here, pal. This oughta go with your helping just fine."  
Timothy stared at the drink for a moment before he smiled and took the mug, saying, "Thank you, sir."  
"Hey, don't mention it," the man said. "Arceus protect ya."  
"Er, yeah, the Lord be with you," Timothy said, taken aback by the Arcean farewell.   
The hunchback looked around for a place to sit while holding his plate and mug. Then, he found a small wooden table that wasn't occupied and happily walked over to it and sat down. Timothy took a moment to say grace before starting with a handful of berries that surprised him with their sweet juicy taste. He stuffed the rest of them into his mouth before he moved on to his carrots, celery, and mushrooms. Finally, Timothy picked up his leg and took half of a bite before he froze. The taste of roasted meat exploded in his mouth. He finished the bite and looked at the leg as though it was made of gold, having never eaten meat before apart from lamb that Markenel would bring on Easter. Timothy took a bigger bite and chewed slowly to savor the taste before he swallowed. He picked up his mug of ale and took a sip, but he almost spat it out before coughing violently.   
"Okay, ale is not my favorite drink," Timothy said to himself.   
He went back to his leg to get rid of the taste of the ale. As he ate, he heard the sound of people gasping in awe, and he looked up to see people and Pokemon standing in front of a small stage. On the stage was a woman with large, curly orange hair in a blue and red dress playing the guitar, and next to her was a Primarina creating giant bubbles and juggling them with its nose. The kids in the audience cheered and clapped as they watched the bubbles shine in many colors while the Primarina lifted the bubbles up in the air without popping them. Timothy put his leg down and watched the act with his eyes wide open, having never seen anything like it.  
He then heard children laughing from another direction and turned around from his seat to see a group of families watching a puppet show. On the left was a puppet of Markenel, and on the right was a puppet of Giovanni. The Markenel puppet was moving erratically like it was having a tantrum, while the Giovanni puppet was shaking violently in fear. The Giovanni figure moved to the end of the stage, and Sonia's puppet appeared in its place. The Markenel puppet took out a club and began hitting the Sonia puppet on the head with it. The Sonia puppet shook its head before grabbing the club from Markenel puppet's hands and violently hit its opponent's head with it. Two puppeteer hands appeared from under the Markenel puppet, one holding his ear and the other putting its thumb on the puppet's mouth. The puppeteer moved its thumb forward and backward to make it look like Markenel was sucking his thumb while the Sonia puppet waved its hands in victory. The families laughed and cheered, and Timothy let out a snicker, which he immediately regretted.  
"Lord, please forgive me for laughing," he whispered. "I don't wish any injury on Master Markenel, who has been so kind to me."  
After the prayer, the hunchback went back to finish his leg just in time to hear the music band begin to play. He turned around from his seat and saw people and Pokemon create a large circle at the city square center. Citizens and Arceans joined together to dance, some in groups and others in pairs. Children were dancing together in a small circle with the smaller Pokemon. Some citizens were dancing with their loved ones, while some were dancing with Arcean men and women. People who weren't dancing clapped to the beat, and Timothy happily joined them from his seat.  
"Wanna dance?"  
Timothy turned his head to see Miette smirking at him and leaning her upper body toward him with her hands behind her back. The hunchback immediately looked away and pulled his hood down to hide his face and said, "No, thank you."  
"Aw, no need to be bashful," Miette said. "I can tell when someone wants to dance but doesn't have a partner."  
"N-n-no, really. I'm fine," Timothy said. "I don't know how to dance.”  
But the Arcean woman giggled and grabbed his arm, saying, "Well, I can fix that for ya."  
Miette pulled Timothy off his seat and dragged him into the center of the dance circle, ignoring his pleas. She turned his body to face her, took his right hand, and pulled him close to her. Timothy's cheeks heated up, having never been close to a woman. He silently prayed that the Lord would forgive him for dancing with a non-follower and that his identity wouldn't be exposed in the process. Miette counted to three and began leading the dance with Timothy struggling to catch up. He looked down and studied how his partner was moving her feet to the lively beat of the music. He then looked at his own feet and started mimicking his partner. Slowly but surely, the hunchback was getting the hang of it, and he smiled like a child learning a new trick, making Miette giggle again.  
"There you go," she said. "You sure you've never danced before?"  
"I guess I'm just a fast learner," Timothy replied.  
"Ah, lucky me as your dance partner," Miette said. "Speaking of which, I haven't seen you here before. Are you new to town?"  
Timothy hesitated and said, "You could say that."  
"Are you enjoying the festival?" Miette asked.  
"Oh, yes. Very much so," Timothy answered. "It's more than I imagined."  
"I'm glad to hear it," Miette said with a smile. "We all worked hard to make it fun for everyone, and thank Arceus that we always succeed."   
Timothy's smile disappeared at the mention of Arceus, and he instantly remembered Markenel's teachings against the mythical Pokemon's worshipers. He grew afraid that Miette might somehow find out his relationship with the judge minister or that she mentioned Arceus as a means to turn him to her religion. Miette looked at him, curiously and asked, "Are you alright?"  
"Oh, uh, yes, I'm okay," Timothy lied, forcing a smile on his face. "I just think I'm getting a stomach ache. I ate more than I normally do."  
Miette frowned, unconvinced with his explanation, but decided to drop it. The two of them continued to dance until the song ended, and everyone clapped and cheered. Miette gave Timothy a bow and asked, "Thank you for dancing with me."  
"Sure," Timothy said, eager to leave. "I think I'll look at some of the other activities."  
"Of course," Miette said. "Why don't you go over to the main stage. They're doing a play there."  
Timothy looked at the main stage and saw a large crowd surrounding it while a group of thespians were performing. He smiled, seeing an opportunity to hide in the crowd again, and said, "Thank you. I will do that."  
"Good," Miette said. "Oh, and by the way, I love your mask."  
Before Timothy could reply, the blue-haired woman left to find a new dance partner. He wondered what she meant about him wearing a mask but decided to drop it and go watch the play. Unknown to him, Markenel, Giovanni, Ash, Pikachu, and the other troops with their Pokemon had just arrived at the festival. A coachman drove Markenel's carriage with two Rapidash while Giovanni rode on his own Rapidash with Persian walking behind. Ash, Butch, Cassidy, and the rest of the soldiers were on Ponyta. The captain signaled his troops to spread out around the square while he and Ash continued to ride beside the carriage to a large tent in Markenel's outfit colors. The justice minister came out of the carriage and sat on a tall, wooden chair that could be mistaken for a throne. Markenel watched the festival continue in disgust while Ash and Pikachu watched with awe.  
"Wow, look at all this, Pikachu. This looks like so much fun," Ash said.   
"Pikachu!" Pikachu agreed.  
"Lieutenant, focus," Giovanni commanded. "We're here to protect the minister and keep an eye out for anything suspicious."  
"Yes, sir," Ash said begrudgingly.  
Meanwhile, the play at the main stage ended, and Timothy applauded with the crowd. After the actors got off stage, the trumpets sounded again, and the activities all over the festival ended. All of the citizens gathered around the main stage, where Sonia stepped back into and cleared her throat.   
"My friends, we are halfway through the Feast of Fools, and what a joy it's been already!" She began. "It fills my heart with joy to see us all come together to dance, feast, drink, entertain, and all around have a lot of fun!"  
The crowd cheered while Markenel scoffed and turned to Giovanni, saying, "It never fails for that heathen witch to boast about their corruption against the people and Pokemon of this city."  
"Indeed, sir," Giovanni said.  
"And now, I present two new attractions to our beloved festival!" Sonia continued. "The first is a performance like you've never seen before full of mystery and romance!"  
The audience "Oooo" ed and whispered among themselves, intrigued.   
"From a small town, there is a lady more beautiful than any person or Pokemon in all of Kalos!" Sonia said. "Her smile lights up the sun, and she lifts everyone's spirits when she dances with her Pokemon partner."  
The audience became excited, the more Sonia advertised. Timothy moved his way to the front of the crowd, wanting to clearly see the person the leader of the Arceans was talking about. Sonia reached into her pouch tied around her waist and took out a smoke pellet. She held it up with a closed fist and shouted, "Ladies and gentlemen, I give you Serena!"  
Sonia thrust the pellet into the ground, and it exploded, covering the stage in a cloud of magenta smoke. The audience gasped in alarm before noticing a figure spinning inside the smoke, looking like a tornado. The smoke disappeared, and in Sonia's place was Serena in a sleeveless dress; the top of it pink with white edges, and the bottom red with a black stripe in the bottom. The music band began to play, and Serena danced in the rhythm of the beat, holding a purple, see-through scarf with both hands while Sylveon popped up from behind to join her. The audience was entranced by the honey blonde woman's beauty and how she and her Pokemon danced with bright smiles.   
Timothy watched Serena in awe as though he was looking at an angel from heaven. Ash and Pikachu's hearts leaped at the sight of both Serena and Sylveon again. The mouse Pokemon's black eyes were fixed on Sylveon, who jumped, twirled, and flipped with a glimmer in its light blue eyes. Meanwhile, its partner kept his eyes on Serena, who he could see was enjoying how people and Pokemon were enchanted by her dancing. The joy she expressed on the stage captivated Ash more than how she was lovelier than anything he had ever seen.   
Markenel was on the edge of his seat, his eyes wide and his mouth agape. He observed the honey blonde woman's face and how she moved her body energetically, forgetting that she was an enemy in his eyes. After a moment, he realized his impure thoughts and grunted in disgust before turning to his captain and lieutenant.  
"Look at that disgusting display," Markenel said.  
"Yes, sir," Ash replied with a grin, earning a clearing of the throat from Giovanni that snapped him out of his gaze.  
Markenel smirked, satisfied that his men did not notice how he looked at the performer, but as he looked away, he did not see Serena running off the stage and into his tent. The old man faced forward to find her sitting on the arm of his chair and wrapping her scarf around his neck. Markenel felt his heart beating rapidly from the honey blonde woman so close to him as she kissed the tip of his crooked nose before pulling his hat down to his face. The audience laughed as Serena ran back to the stage. Markenel glared at her with his face beet red in both bashfulness and anger while taking off Serena's scarf.   
Back on stage, Serena and Sylveon continued to dance together, and the audience clapped at the beat of the music. The intertwining Pokemon continued to jump and flip at the center of the stage while Serena cartwheeled around it. She then spun with her hands in the air before doing a split at the front of center stage. The honey blonde noticed Timothy and gave him a wink, making the hunchback flush and cover his face with his hood. Then, Serena stood up and did several backflips toward Sylveon. When she was above her Pokemon, Sylveon summoned a gust of silver wind and raised it up from underneath Serena, sending her high into the air. The crowd gasped as Serena did multiple flips before landing on the floor with one hand. The audience gasped a third time, and Serena did one more flip before landing on the edge of the stage on her knees with her legs apart from each other. Sylveon finished the act by throwing gold stars up in the air and destroyed them with Fairy Wind, creating a burst of silver and gold fireworks above Serena.   
The music ended, and the audience roared in applause as Serena stood up to take several bows with Sylveon. People began to shower the stage with coins, and Sonia, Miette, Slurpuff, and a couple of other Arceans and their Pokemon went on stage to pick them up. Markenel and Giovanni scoffed in disgust, not noticing Ash tossing two coins to the stage, one from him and another from Pikachu. When Sonia finished collecting coins, she walked over to give Serena a side hug  
"Did I do well?" Serena whispered while both women waved at the crowd.   
"You were perfect," Sonia whispered back. "You put your heart into your performance, and they're giving us more money than we hoped for. I'm proud of you, Serena. You and Sylveon have really come through for our people and Pokemon."  
Serena smiled, uplifted by the peach-haired woman's words. She turned to Sylveon, who was giving her a bright smile, happy with what they accomplished. After a minute, the applause died down, and the Arceans finished collecting the money. They got off stage, save for Sonia, Serena, Sylveon, Miette, and Slurpuff, and the leader of the mistreated people and Pokemon lifted her hand up for silence.   
"Now, we begin our second new attraction!" She announced. "And not just any new attraction! It's the one that you have no doubt heard through word of mouth and have expressed excitement for all over Lumiose City! It's the moment you've all been waiting for, a competition that will make us laugh until our sides are sore! Ladies, gentlemen, it's time to crown the King of Fools!"  
Children jumped up and down, and the adults grinned and elbowed each other in anticipation while Timothy wondered what the citizens knew about the new event. He then saw some of the men putting on large head masks in various colors with faces barely resembling humans. They walked over to the stage, where Sonia, Serena, and Miette helped them up and put them in a straight line. Timothy wanted to ask the people next to him what was going on, but he decided not to risk it.   
The next thing the hunchback knew, Serena looked right at him, kneeling at the edge of the stage and stretching out her hand to him. Timothy stood still with his cheeks heating up, confused with what the honey blonde woman was doing.  
"Well? Don't you want to come up?" Serena asked.  
Timothy's blush grew, and he pointed at the men, asking, "Don't you need one of those things?"  
Serena giggled with her mouth closed and answered, "Not necessarily. In fact, I think you'll fit in just fine."  
"Really?" Timothy asked.   
"Of course," Serena said with a bright smile. "Come on. It'll be fun."  
Timothy stared in awe, taken aback by how Serena encouraged him in such a friendly way. At that moment, any concern for his disguise or Markenel's teachings was replaced with hopes of having fun during the competition with the beautiful woman. He took her hand with a smile, and Serena's smile brightened as she pulled him on stage and guided him to the end of the line. Sonia, Miette, and Serena checked to see if anyone else in the crowd was coming to compete before the peach-haired woman smiled and turned to her audience.  
"Will you look at this, ladies and gentlemen?!" she called out. "Over two dozen souls have come to compete in our brand new event! But only one can be crowned the King of Fools, so let us begin!"  
The crowd cheered, and Miette and Serena walked to the front of the line with their Pokemon standing behind the competitors. Serena took off the mask of a scrawny man, who moved his upper lip to touch his nose. The crowd booed, and Sylveon used Fairy Wind to knock the man off the stage. Miette took off the mask of the second person, who held his bottom lip down from both sides and shouted, "Blegh!" Again, the audience booed, and Slurpuff knocked the competitor off the stage with Fairy Wind.   
One by one, the women and their Pokemon took turns unmasking people who make goofy faces and knocking them off the stage. One person held his nose up, another put his eyelids over his eyes, a short man crossed his eyes, while a chubby man just belched. One competitor had his head inside his shirt and held his Feebas up to look like his head. The crowd booed even louder with some shouting, "Cheater!" Sylveon and Slurpuff looked at each other and nodded before using Fairy Wind together, sending the man and his Pokemon flying high to the other side of the square and landing on a cart of manure. All the while, Timothy watched, growing more confused with no idea what was happening or what he was supposed to do when it was his turn.   
"Oh my goodness, this is disappointing!" Sonia said to the crowd. "Months of anticipation and this is the best Lumiose City can do?! Is there anyone that can give us the most horrible and frightening face we have ever seen?"  
Timothy's heart sank with Sonia's words ringing in his ears. It suddenly became clear what the competitors were doing, why Miette thought he was wearing a mask, and why Serena invited him to join. He turned around and prepared to run to the cathedral, but before he could take a step, Miette grabbed him by the shoulder, turned him back to face the stage again, pulled off his hood, and began pulling him by the face. The blue-haired woman pulled as hard as she could, thinking Timothy's mask was stuck, but after a couple more yanks, she realized that he wasn't wearing a mask. At that moment, all Timothy could do is watch her red eyes shrink before she screamed.


	6. Chapter 6

Timothy stood on stage, unable to move. Miette ran away from him to hide behind Sonia, who looked at the hunchback in shock. Sylveon and Slurpuff looked at Timothy in terror, and Serena looked at him with her eyes wide open and both hands covering her mouth, realizing what she had done. It took several seconds before the crowd realized what happened before they screamed and gasped at the sight of Timothy's deformed face.   
"That's no mask! That's his face!" A man shouted.  
"He's hideous!" A woman shouted.   
"Is it even human?" Another woman asked.  
"Could it be some sort of a Pokemon?" A third woman asked.  
"No, it's the Lumiose Cathedral bell ringer," a second man said.  
"Keep it away from our children!" a fourth woman screamed while hugging her kids.  
The more Timothy heard from the citizens, the more it hit him that his worst fears had come true. From up on the top balcony in Lumiose Cathedral, Electchu, Shockwave, and Odyssey watched what happened, not knowing what to do to help their friend from above. Timothy saw Markenel standing up from his seat, astounded that the hunchback disobeyed him. He suddenly remembered the judge's words and became afraid that the Arceans and the citizens would band together to drown him or tear him into pieces. The hunchback got down on his knees and cried.  
Suddenly, amid the commotion, Sonia began applauding and cheering at the top of her lungs. The square fell silent, and all eyes turned to her, wondering if she had gone mad or didn't understand what was going on.  
"Splendid! Magnificent! Absolutely marvelous!" She cheered before turning to the crowd. "Ladies and gentlemen, don't you see? We asked for the ugliest face in Lumiose City, and here it is!"  
The crowd continued to stare at the peach-haired woman, confused, before looking back at Timothy. They thought about it before they realized that she was right and began cheering along with her. Even Miette and Serena took a moment to realize Sonia's point before they joined in. Timothy looked around, having trouble processing what was happening before he felt Sonia put her hand on his hunch, and he turned to her.  
"What's your name, my friend?" She asked.   
"Uh...Timothy," Timothy answered.  
Sonia smiled and turned to the audience shouting, "Everyone, I give you our king: Timothy, the hunchback of Lumiose Cathedral!"  
The audience cheered louder while Sonia helped Timothy back on his feet and took off his hood and cloak. Serena, Miette, Sylveon, and Slupuff walked over to them with the honey blonde woman holding a yellow and purple crown with bells hanging at the tip and the blunette holding a purple cape and a scepter. Serena laid the crown on Timothy's head, and Miette wrapped the cape around his neck and gave him the scepter before both women kissed his cheeks, turning his face beet red.  
"Bring out the throne!" Sonia called out.   
Four Machoke came to the stage, carrying a yellow throne with magnolia cushions using carrying poles. Slurpuff puts Timothy on the throne using Psychic, and the Machoke began carrying him through the square with humans and Pokemon making a path. Sonia walked ahead of Timothy and the Machoke, holding out a wooden pole like a staff as though she was leading another parade.   
Timothy turned to Markenel and gave him a smile and a wave, thinking it was okay to disobey his orders since the people accepted him. The justice minister glowered at his adopted son and signaled Giovanni to walk over to him. The captain moved his Rapidash toward his master, and Markenel whispered something to his ear. Ash and Pikachu watched curiously as Giovanni grinned and drove his Rapidash over to his second-in-command.  
"Lieutenant, stay with Minister Markenel. I'll be right back," he ordered.   
"Yes, sir," Ash said.  
While Giovanni rode away from Markenel's tent with Persian following him, the Machoke carried Timothy to an elevated platform. Timothy stood up from the throne and got on the platform before raising his scepter in victory. The crowd roared with applause again, with people tossing confetti and flowers while the music band was playing music. Back in the cathedral's top balcony, Electchu, Shockwave, and Odyssey jumped up and down and cheered at the top of their lungs. Tears ran down Timothy's face as people chanted his name.  
Suddenly, out of nowhere, a tomato flew toward Timothy and hit him right in the face. The citizens gasped before they heard Cassidy standing in the middle of the crowd, laughing and pointing at Timothy.  
"Now, that's what I call ugly!" She shouted.   
"I hear that!" Butch shouted from the other side of the crowd. He took out a tomato and threw it at Timothy, shouting, "Hail to the king!"  
"Hail to the king!" Several other guards shouted as they threw tomatoes, carrots, cabbages, and berries at Timothy.   
Timothy held his hands up in defense as food was thrown at him in all directions. He stepped on a broken tomato and slipped on it, causing him to fall on his back, dropping his scepter. Men among the crowd who had too much to drink laughed at Timothy's fall, and women and children started joining in, thinking it was part of the event.   
Eventually, citizens grabbed food from the dining tables and joined in throwing food at Timothy. The poor hunchback managed to get up despite all the food on the platform and took three steps, trying to get off before two dark green vines wrapped around his neck. He turned his head to find the vines coming from the bud of an Ivysaur, whose partner was giving Timothy a twisted smile.   
"Where do you think you're going, Your Highness? The fun is just beginning," he said.   
Timothy pulled on the vines, trying to free himself, but his efforts were met with a Victreebel and a Pansage also using Vine Whip on his hands and pulling them back. The crowd laughed harder while clapping and pointing at Timothy. The hunchback became angry and used his strength from years of ringing the mighty bells of Lumiose Cathedral to pull on the vines, forcing the Pokemon toward him.  
"Oh, that's no fun at all," a man with spiky blonde hair standing behind the platform said. He turned to his Jolteon, who was standing next to him, and pointed at Timothy. "Jolteon, use Thunder Wave!"  
With a grin, his Jolteon created electricity around its body and fired it at Timothy, hitting him in the back. Timothy yelled in pain and fell on his front, unable to move with yellow sparks around his body. The crowd laughed and cheered for the lightning Pokemon's deed, and a Carnivine and a Tangrowth held down Timothy's feet with Vine Whip, giving civilians the chance to tie him down to the platform. His body paralyzed, Timothy laid on the ground, helpless as people and Pokemon threw masses of food.  
On the balcony, Electchu, Shockwave, and Odyssey watched, appalled by what was happening.  
"We gotta help Timothy," Odyssey said.  
"But there are too many people there. We'll never reach him," Electchu said.  
"Better we try than do nothing at all," Shockwave said. "We said we'd protect Timothy, and he needs us right now. He'd do the same for us."  
The Pikachu hesitated before its face turned serious, and it nodded in agreement. Without another word, Electchu, Shockwave, and Odyssey rushed to the stairway on the south tower, leading to the church's bottom floor, eager to save their friend. Meanwhile, Giovanni and Persian returned to their spot beside Markenel's tent, with the judge giving his captain a smirk and a nod of approval. Markenel's smirk disappeared, and he turned to Timothy with his arms crossed, faintly heard the sound of Timothy crying out to him amid the laughter.  
"Master! Master Markenel, please help me!"  
But he turned his head, making it clear that he would not aid his adopted son. Timothy looked at Markenel, devastated, as it became clear that he was all alone.   
Ash and Pikachu watched the crowd continue to barrage Timothy in disgust, and the raven-haired turned to Giovanni, saying, "Sir, I request permission to end this cruelty."  
"Denied," Giovanni said bluntly.   
"Sir, with all due respect -" Ash began to protest.  
"I said no, Lieutenant," Giovanni growled.   
Ash flinched from his father's response and lowered his head. Markenel chuckled with his mouth closed and said, "Don't worry, Lieutenant, we'll stop it in a moment. A lesson needs to be learned first."  
"A lesson?" Ash asked.  
"STOP!!!"   
The square immediately became silent, with the citizens and their Pokemon stopping themselves from throwing more food in mid-motion. They looked around, wondering where the voice came from, until they saw Serena climbing up to the platform. She glared at the crowd, livid like a mother scorning her children.  
"Aren't you ashamed of yourselves?!" She rebuked. "You think this is part of the event?! At one time, has the Feast of Fools ever been meant to persecute people or Pokemon?!"  
The citizens and their Pokemon whispered among each other, some hating that Serena ruined their fun, others ashamed. The rest didn't know what to think. Serena turned to Timothy, covered in pieces of broken fruit and vegetables, and yellow sparks still appearing all over his body. The honey blonde woman's face softened, and she kneeled down to offer him a berry. The hunchback moved his head away from her, afraid that the Arcean poisoned the berry or was waiting until his guard was down to smash it into his face. Serena put her hand on Timothy's chin and gently moved his face to look at her again.   
"Don't be afraid," she said in a soft voice. "It's a Cheri berry. It'll heal your paralysis."  
Timothy hesitated until he saw compassion in her ocean-blue eyes. He opened his mouth, and Serena fed the berry to him. Within a couple of seconds, the sparks around his body disappeared, and he felt he could move again if not for the ropes that tied him down. Serena took out a cloth and began wiping Timothy's face.  
"I'm so sorry," she said. "This wasn't supposed to happen."  
Timothy didn't know how to react to Serena's words or actions. His torment made him once again think the world outside of Lumiose Cathedral was a horrible place, and yet this Arcean woman was helping him as though she were an angel from heaven who came to protect him. On the other hand, Serena was the one who put him on the stage, and Miette screamed in fear, and yet the two women kissed him while the entire square cheered for him. Nothing made complete sense to him. Not even the way Serena smiled when she finished cleaning his face.   
Markenel, meanwhile, clenched his teeth while Serena aided Timothy, his heart filled with hate for her interfering with his plan. His hatred grew when he realized his enemy's gracious act contradicted what he taught the deformed man he sought as the key to destroying Serena and her people and Pokemon. He stood up from his chair and pointed at the honey blonde woman, commanding, "You, Arcean woman, get down at once!"  
Serena looked away from Timothy and stood up to face Markenel.  
"Yes, Your Honor. Just as soon as I free this poor man," she said.  
"No! I forbid you to lay another finger on the creature!" Markenel shouted.   
Serena looked at him, appalled for calling Timothy a creature. Her shock turned into anger as she took out a knife and cut the ropes off of Timothy in one clean stroke. The citizens and Arceans alike gasped in disbelief, and Markenel shouted, "You dare defy me?!"  
"Yes, I dare! And I'll do it again!" Serena shouted back. "You mistreat this man the same way you treat my people and Pokemon! You claim to be a righteous judge, but you are cruel to those who need help!"  
"Silence!" Markenel shouted.  
"Your own soldiers started throwing food at Timothy first, causing all of this, and you didn't lift a finger to save him!" Serena continued.   
"I said silence!" Markenel roared.  
"Justice!" Serena screamed.   
The people gasped once more, flabbergasted that the honey blonde woman spoke to the powerful man without hesitation. Serena turned back to Timothy and helped him on his feet.   
"Mark my words, Arcean, you'll pay for your insolence," Markenel snarled.   
But Serena laughed mockingly and asked, "Really? You consider kindness to my fellow man an act of insolence, do you?" She took the crown off Timothy's head and held it up toward the judge. "Then it appears we picked the wrong person to be the King of Fools, because the only fool I see is you!"  
She tossed the crown far over to where Markenel's tent was, and it landed a few feet in front of him. Markenel's blood boiled, and he turned to Giovanni.  
"Captain Giovanni, arrest her!" He barked.  
"Yes, sir," Giovanni said.  
"But, Minister Markenel, it's against the king's decree to arrest any of the Arceans during the festival," Ash pointed out.  
"That does not excuse behavior outside of their holiday," Markenel said.   
Ash tilted his head and asked, "But isn't it hypocritical to -"  
"Lieutenant, the minister gave you an order," Giovanni said.   
Ash hesitated, wanting to convince his superiors that what they are ordering was wrong, but his sense of duty and desire to please his father overcame his thoughts.   
"Come on, Pikachu," he said, defeated.   
"Pika," Pikachu said with its ears hanging low.  
With a snap of Giovanni's fingers, he, Ash, Butch, Cassidy, and the other troops rode their steeds toward Serena with their Pokemon. The citizens and the Arceans reluctantly moved away to make room with Sonia, Miette, and Slurpuff keeping themselves hidden among the crowd. The blunette woman's heart sank the closer the soldiers got to Serena, and she turned to her leader.   
"We've got to stop this," she said.  
"We can't," Sonia said, "If we interfere, Markenel might view this as an entire Arcean affair and arrest all of us."  
"But, he can't do that. We have our permit that protects us," Miette protested.   
"I don't think Markenel cares about the law right now," she said.   
"What can we do?" Miette asked.   
Sonia looked away with her eyes shut, and her hands turned into fists, wanting to agree with her friend. Then, she sighed in defeat and looked away,   
"Right now, we can only hope that Serena has a trick up her sleeve," Sonia said.  
Miette whimpered and put her hands together in prayer. Up on the platform, Serena and Timothy were looking around at the soldiers surrounding them. The hunchback was worried for the woman who defended him, but Serena smirked and rubbed her chin in thought.  
"Let's see. One, two, skip a few, ten," she said. "So there's ten of you and one of little old me." She took out a handkerchief and pretended to cry on her knees. "Oh, me, oh my. What do I do? What do I do? What's a poor woman to do?"  
As her sobs grew louder, Timothy took a step to put his hand on her shoulder, unaware that she was acting before he stopped himself, knowing that the action would anger Markenel more. The soldiers on their Ponyta/Rapidash drew their weapons as they got closer, with Ash struggling to hide his fear for the Arcean woman. His heart sank at the sight of Serena crying until he felt Pikachu patting his cheek.  
"What is it, buddy?" He asked.  
"Pika, Pika, Pika, Pikachu," Pikachu replied.   
Though Ash couldn't understand his partner in the same way Timothy could with Electchu, Shockwave, and Odyssey, he understood what Pikachu was feeling. The raven-haired soldier looked at Pikachu, confused for a moment before he looked back at Serena and then scanned the area.   
"Hey, you're right. Where is Sylveon?" Ash asked.   
Giovanni turned to his son, having overheard him, and then back to Serena. The wheels in his mind turned until he realized what Serena was planning, but before he could say anything, Serena took one long blow on her handkerchief, and the area around her exploded into a cloud with silver dust. Everyone shielded their eyes with civilians screaming in alarm before the clouds disappeared, and they looked back to find only Timothy standing on the platform.   
Markenel looked at where Serena was in horror and fell back on his chair, shouting, "Witchcraft!"  
"This is no witchcraft, Minister Markenel!" Giovanni called out. “She used her Pokemon to escape!”  
Markenel’s fear slowly subsided before his face turned red once more, enraged that the Arcean woman duped him. Clouds were covering up the sky until it was as dark as Markenel's heart, followed by faint claps of thunder. The judge stepped out of his tent and cleared his throat before announcing, “As justice minister of Lumiose City, I hereby declare this year’s Feast of Fools over due to matters concerning the state.”  
The citizens and Arceans shouted and booed, while some of the soldiers surrounded Markenel for protection. Timothy, Ash, Pikachu, Sonia, and Miette took the opportunity to secretly smile that Serena escaped while all focus was on the judge. Some people and Pokemon considered throwing food at Markenel despite the wall of soldiers and their Pokemon in front of them until he raised his hand and roared in a commanding voice, “SILENCE!” The square became quiet again, with people and Pokemon suddenly afraid of Markenel.  
“The Arcean woman, Serena, has resisted arrest and is henceforth a fugitive!” Markenel declared. "You are all to stay where you are as we conduct a thorough search. Citizens found to not be with the Arcean woman are to return to their homes immediately. Arceans found to not be with her either are given until nightfall to take down their decorations and return to the pits from where they came. Anyone found protecting her will be severely punished."  
With authority behind his words, people and Pokemon silently obeyed as soldiers got off their steeds and began searching everyone with their Pokemon. Satisfied, Markenel then turned to where Timothy was and walked over to him. The hunchback climbed down the platform to meet his master, who stared angrily at him as the rain began to come down.  
"I'm sorry, Master Markenel," Timothy said with his head down. "I'll never disobey you again."  
Markenel remained silent for a moment before he pointed at Lumiose Cathedral, saying, "I will not come to give you supper tonight."  
"Yes, sir," Timothy said.   
The hunchback took off the cape, turned around, and walked toward the cathedral as the rain came down harder. With parents standing in front of their kids, the crowd moved away as though the King of Fools event never happened. Timothy covered his face with his hands as best he could, but he still heard people whispering to each other in disgust or fear. Just as he made it to the cathedral steps, the doors opened to reveal Electchu, Shockwave, and Odyssey bursting out. The three of them prepared to fight until they saw their deformed friend walking over to them.   
"Timothy, what happened?" Odyssey asked. "We came to rescue you, and now no one is attacking you?"  
Timothy gave the Riolu a brief smile before his frown returned and said, "I'll tell you later. Right now, let's just go back inside."  
The three Pokemon looked at each other before they followed their friend back inside. With the warmth of the building and his body sheltered from the rain, Timothy gave the outside world one last look with tears running down his face before he closed the cathedral doors.


	7. Chapter 7

The rain continued to pour as Markenel's soldiers continued their investigation. Most of them focused on searching the Arceans, confident that one of them was hiding Serena. Those who checked out began taking down tents and banners and taking apart the stages, then cautiously left the square, looking back to make sure no soldiers followed them to their hideout.   
Ash and Pikachu focused on searching the civilians and leading them out of the square from the west side. Many of them were giving them dirty looks, still bitter that the justice minister ended the festival. The raven-haired soldier and his partner wished they could do something to cheer up the crowd or make it up to them, but they knew nothing they could do or say would make up for ruining their day.   
But while Ash was guiding a family from the crowd, Pikachu looked behind his friend and noticed a slouched figure in a blue cloak with a wooden cane. The figure was scooting through the people and Pokemon in the crowd opposite Ash and Pikachu. Pikachu then noticed a light blue feeler dangling underneath the cloak. Its ears perked up, and it patted the side of Ash's head to gain his attention.   
"What is it, buddy?" Ash asked.   
"Pika," Pikachu whispered while pointing at the figure with its tail.   
Ash looked in the direction Pikachu was pointing and saw the figure walking away. He smirked as he noticed the feeler hanging at the bottom of the cloak, instantly knowing what his partner discovered. The duo looked at each other and nodded before Ash turned to the soldier closest to him.  
"Private, take over on my side," he ordered.   
"Yes, Lieutenant," the soldier replied.   
With his spot covered, Ash squeezed through the crowd with his eyes fixed on the suspicious figure. Pikachu climbed to the top of Ash's head and looked ahead to find that the figure was heading to where Sonia was helping some Arceans, and the four Machoke who carried Timothy were taking apart the main stage. However, as the mouse Pokemon looked ahead, it saw Butch inspecting people and Pokemon in the direction that the figure was heading. Pikachu climbed back down onto Ash's shoulder and whispered to him while making hand gestures to explain what was happening. Ash frowned, worried that he won't catch up with his target before it ran into Butch, but then his eyes turned to Lumiose Cathedral on his left side, and he smirked again.   
"I got an idea, Pikachu," he whispered.   
As Ash walked faster with Pikachu holding on to him by the head, the figure keeps walking until it spots Butch focused on interrogating a couple. The figure turned right to avoid the soldier, but Butch noticed it passing by just as he finished his interrogation.  
"Hey, old man, hold it right there," he commanded.  
The figure moved faster at the sound of Butch's voice. Butch ran over to the figure and began pulling it back by the cloak. The person under the cloak grabbed it and pulled back before Butch could take it off.  
"Stop resisting, old man," Butch said. "You're making it harder on -"  
"Hold it, Private Butch!" Ash called out.  
Butch and the figure stopped struggling, and the soldier let go of the cloak to turn to Ash. Ash walked over to the figure's side, and the figure turned around, thinking it got its chance to escape until Ash grabbed it by the sides.  
"Don't worry. It's us," he whispered to the figure. "Just play along, and we'll get you two out of here."  
"Pikachu," Pikachu whispered.   
The figure stood still for a moment at the sound of their voices and eased up. Ash and Pikachu smiled before the former put on a serious face and turned to Butch.  
"I already inspected this man," he lied. "He's a little deaf, so he must not have understood me when I told him to leave the square."  
Butch scoffed and said, "A deaf man participating in a festival alone? How stupid can one be?"  
"Comes with being a part of the peasant folk, I guess," Ash said. "Anyway, continue your search for the Arcean woman. I will see to it that this man doesn't aimlessly wander in the square anymore."  
"Yes, Lieutenant," Butch said.  
As soon as Butch's back was turned, Ash and Pikachu sighed in relief. Ash put his arm on the figure’s back, which felt more like the small back of a little quadrupled Pokemon, and his free hand on the figure's side, which felt like a person's waist. He guided the figure through the crowd until they were at the steps of Lumiose Cathedral and looked back to make sure no one was looking before he opened one of the doors and went in. Pikachu hopped off Ash's shoulder and shook the water off its coat while its partner closed the door behind them.   
"Alright, you're safe," Ash said.  
The figure dropped its cane and took off its cloak, revealing Serena wearing her regular clothes in a slouching position and Sylveon lying on her back. The intertwining Pokemon hopped off its partner's back, and Serena stretched her aching back.  
"How did you know it was us?" She asked.  
"One of your Sylveon's feelers was sticking out from under your cloak," Ash answered. "You two are lucky that Pikachu noticed you."  
"Pikachu," Pikachu said with a smile.  
"Oh. I guess we need to be a little more careful next time," Serena said. "Thank you for saving us, though."  
"Sylveon," Sylveon agreed.   
Ash gave her a toothy grin and said, "No problem. It was our pleasure. Right, buddy?"  
"Pikachu," Pikachu said.  
Serena and Sylveon smiled at their positive response before the former frowned and asked, "But, aren't you supposed to arrest us?"  
"No, because we're inside Lumiose Cathedral," Ash answered.   
"So?" Serena asked.  
"The church protects anyone who comes in here," Ash explained. "As long as you're inside Lumiose Cathedral, Pikachu and I can't do a thing or any soldier for that matter."  
Serena and Sylveon stared at the raven-haired man and his Pokemon partner at a loss of words.   
"Why do you and your Pikachu keep helping us?" Serena asked suspiciously. "Is it just because I have a pretty face?"  
Ash's cheeks turned pink, and he looked away, scratching his cheek, saying, "W-well, I can't deny that you're very beautiful, but we have other reasons."  
"And they are?" Serena asked.   
"You and your Sylveon did nothing wrong," Ash answered. "Minister Markenel was out of order to try and have you arrested even though you and your people and Pokemon are protected on your holiday, especially when you were just protecting that man."  
Serena frowned and asked, "If you agree that what they did to him was wrong, then why didn't you stop it?"  
"I tried to get permission, but the judge refused," Ash explained. "He said something about a lesson needing to be learned."  
"A lesson? On what?" Serena asked flabbergasted.   
"No idea," Ash answered. "You intervened before I could ask. Though, I doubt I would have gotten an answer."  
Serena frowned, disgusted by the information, and asked, "What do people and Pokemon have against anyone who is different?"  
"I wish I knew," Ash said.   
"Do you?" Serena asked. "Then why are you serving the justice minister if you don't even agree with him?"  
Ash frowned, and he and Pikachu glanced at each other before he turned back to Serena and said, "Because I thought Pikachu and I were coming home to serve under a just and righteous system we believed we were protecting."  
"What do you mean?" Serena asked.  
Ash took a moment to debate himself and said, "Well, there's a special reason why I am a soldier, but before I say it, I want you to promise me that you won’t think less of me when I tell you this."  
Serena paused, uneasy with what Ash was going to say before she nodded and said, "Okay. You have my word."  
Before taking a deep breath, Ash hesitated and said, "The thing is, my father is Captain Giovanni."  
Serena and Sylveon looked at the soldier, shocked, and for the briefest moment, the Arcean woman became afraid of Ash as though being Giovanni's son made him the cold-hearted man himself. She resisted the urge to run, reminding herself everything he and Pikachu did for her and her beloved partner, and collected herself, hoping Ash and Pikachu didn't notice her and Sylveon's moment of fear.  
"I see," she said. "So, you work for Markenel because your father does?"  
"More or less," Ash answered. "Pikachu and I were motivated to serve in the line of duty like my father and his Persian. When I was of age, we volunteered to fight in the wars. Everything we've done in the field, we thought we were protecting our country and its ideals, including the justice system. When I was summoned to be my father's second-in-command, Pikachu and I were thrilled because we thought it meant I was going to follow in his footsteps in serving a just system."  
"Pika, Pika," Pikachu said.  
"And you don't believe that anymore, do you?" Serena stated  
Ash shook his head and said, "I've been home for only a few hours, and I see Minister Markenel and my father doing everything you said at the square. I believe in the Lord of All and not Arceus. That will never change, and I do acknowledge you as people and Pokemon who live in the city illegally, but what you and the other Arceans believe does not give anyone the right to do what the judge minister and my father wants to do with all of you."  
The hall was silent after Ash finished his explanation. Serena stared at him, moved by the way he spoke with passion and honesty. Then, she smiled and asked, "What's your name?"  
"Lieutenant Ash at your service, my lady," Ash answered with a bow. "It means ash tree, believe it or not."  
Serena giggled and said, "Ash. I like that name."  
"Thank you," Ash said. "And while we're complementing each other, you and Sylveon danced beautifully out there."  
"Pikachu," Pikachu said with a smile.   
Serena felt her cheeks heat up, and even Sylveon was flattered by Pikachu's positive praise.   
"Thank you. You're very sweet," Serena said.  
"Of course," Ash said with another grin. "Have you and Sylveon always been performing in Lumiose City?"  
"No, we've only been here for a few months ourselves," Serena answered. "I'm from Vaniville Town that's mainly populated by Arceans. I gained a passion for dancing from my friend, Shauna, and so started to perform with her Ivysaur and Sylveon back when it was an Eevee. Over time, Sylveon and I got so good at it that people and Pokemon in our town, including Shauna, adored watching the two of us perform."  
"Well, that lines up. You really made a lot of people and Pokemon happy when you were dancing at the marketplace and the festival," Ash said.  
"That's what I love about performing," Serena said. "I make so many people and Pokemon smile, whether at home or here in the city. I want to do that for everyone, no matter who they are or what they believe. More than anything, I wish the people in this city could look past what Arceans believe, and we could all live together."  
Ash smiled and said, "I hope that one day we can do that too."  
"Pikachu," Pikachu said, smiling.   
Serena gave them a sad smile and said, "I admire your optimism, Ash, but it can't be when your religion dictates that you persecute anyone who doesn't believe what you believe."  
"But that's the opposite of what we're supposed to believe," Ash said. "The holy word tells us how -"  
Suddenly, the cathedral doors opened to reveal Markenel and several soldiers coming inside. Ash and Pikachu looked at Markenel, shocked, and Sylveon hid behind Serena. The judge grinned as he walked over to them.   
"Excellent work, Lieutenant. Now, arrest her," Markenel commanded.   
Ash and Pikachu's hearts sank, and they turned to Serena and Sylveon, who glared daggers at them.  
"Claim sanctuary," Ash whispered to the honey blonde woman. "Say it!"  
"You tricked me," Serena said. "There's no protection in here."  
"Yes, there is," Ash protested. "We're not supposed to -"  
"I'm waiting, Lieutenant," Markenel said.  
Ash grumbled and turned to Markenel with his hands behind his back.  
"I'm sorry, sir. She has claimed sanctuary for herself and her Pokemon. There's nothing Pikachu, and I can do," he lied.  
"Then drag them outside," Markenel said. "I will not allow the heathen to -"  
"Markenel, you will not touch her!"  
Markenel turned his eyes to Archdeacon Sycamore, walking over to Ash, Pikachu, Serena, and Sylveon. The man of the Lord had wrinkles on his face and streaks of gray in his dark hair. He placed his hand on Serena's shoulder and gave her a kind look.  
"Don't worry, my child. You are safe here," he said before turning to Markenel with a warning glare. "Minister Markenel learned years ago to respect the sanctity of the church."  
Markenel gave the archdeacon a dark look, knowing what he was referring to. The judge scoffed and waved his hand for his soldiers to leave. But when he was several yards away, he made sure no one was looking before he sneaked his way to one of the side columns in the main hall. Ash turned back to Serena to say sorry, but Archdeacon Sycamore grabbed his shoulder and led him toward the exit. Pikachu turned to Sylveon, who looked at it bitterly. The mouse Pokemon's ears dropped and sadly followed Ash and Archdeacon Sycamore to the entrance.   
"Your Excellency, can you relay a message for me?" Ash asked Archdeacon Sycamore as they headed to the exit.  
"No need, my son," the archdeacon said, giving the raven-haired man a small smile. "I overheard parts of your conversation with her. I know you care about her safety, and I'll make sure she knows."  
Ash smiled back and said, "Thank you, sir. Please take good care of her and Sylveon."  
"As the Lord Almighty lives, we will keep her safe," Archdeacon Sycamore promised.   
Unfortunately, unknown to anyone, Markenel sneaked his way past the columns back to Serena, his gaze never leaving the Arcean woman. He tiptoed behind her while she and Sylveon watched the soldiers go and suddenly held her arm behind her back and put his hand on her throat. Serena gasped in alarm, and Sylveon prepared to attack, but the judge moved Serena in front of Sylveon to use as a shield.   
"You must think you're very clever," he hissed into her ear. "But I'm a patient man, and Arceans don't do well stuck inside stone walls."  
Serena struggled to break free of his grasp, and Sylveon clenched its teeth, eager to help its friend. Markenel grinned, taking a sadistic pleasure that the woman and her Pokemon were helpless, but then, he felt a strong scent, and his eyes moved to Serena's yellow hair. In a moment of weakness, he took a sniff of her hair, and a perverted smile entered his face.   
"What are you doing?" Serena asked, trying to glare at the judge despite his hold on her neck.   
"I was just imagining a rope around your beautiful neck," Markenel claimed.   
Disgusted, Serena elbowed him in the stomach, and he bent down and let go of her arm and neck. She took several steps away from him with Sylveon stepping in front of her in defense and hissed, "I know what you're imagining."  
Markenel massaged his stomach before he straightened himself and smirked at Serena, acting as though her elbow did nothing to him.  
"Such a cunning witch, aren't you?" he said. "So typical of your kind to twist the truth and cloud the mind with unholy thoughts."  
"I don't think I caused you to think indecently," Serena said.  
Markenel gave a low cackle, unfazed by Serena's accusation, and said, "Well, no matter." He walked past the honey blonde woman and her Pokemon partner with Sylveon still preparing to attack the judge if he tried anything again. Markenel turned his head to look at Serena with a mocking smirk as he walked toward the cathedral doors. "You picked a magnificent prison, Madame Serena, but it's a prison nonetheless. Step one foot out of the cathedral, and you're mine."  
Serena's dark look and Sylveon's threatening glare disappeared as the judge exited the cathedral, closing the door behind him. It hadn't occurred to them that they might be trapped in the place that they thought was meant to protect them until they had a chance to safely return to the Court of Miracles. Serena rushed to the entry doors and opened one of them just enough to look outside unnoticed. It was still pouring, and the square was empty except for a couple dozen soldiers. Giovanni was still on his Rapidash with Persian standing beside him with a smirk.   
"Soldiers, Minister Markenel's orders are to have every entrance in the cathedral covered," Giovanni said. "I want no less than four men on every door."  
"Yes, sir," the soldiers said.  
Serena slammed the doors shut and let out a frustrated grunt. She put her back against the door and slid down to her bottom, hugging her legs with her head hung low. Sylveon looked at its partner worryingly and licked Serena's hand to get her attention. The honey blonde woman raised her head to see her downcast Pokemon and sighed before petting it on the head.  
"Don't worry, Sylveon. If Markenel thinks he can keep us here forever, he's wrong," she said.  
"Do not be so rash, my child," Archdeacon Sycamore said, startling Serena and Sylveon as they didn't notice him standing a few feet beside them. "Markenel is a relentless man. It would be unwise to anger him any further."  
Serena scoffed and rolled her eyes, seeing the archdeacon's words as redundant. She looked away from him and rested her head with her legs while still petting Sylveon, acting as though the old man wasn't there. Just then, the archdeacon heard footsteps and turned around to find Sister Sophie walking over to him. Her hair had turned into a blend of dark blue and gray, wrinkles covered her face, and she walked in a slouching position.   
"Supper is ready, Your Excellence," she said.  
"Ah, marvelous," Archdeacon Sycamore said with a smile. He turned to Serena, who had lifted her head at the sound of supper. "Would you care to join us?"  
Serena looked at him, befuddled, and asked, "Eat supper with you?"  
"Of course," Archdeacon Sycamore said. "We have a spare spot at our table, and there's enough Pokemon food for your Sylveon."  
"But I don't share your religion," Serena said.  
"And that makes you less of a person and your Sylveon less of a Pokemon?" Archdeacon Sycamore challenged. "You don't have to be afraid of us. You're safe here."  
Serena kept staring at the archdeacon with a dumbfounded look, unsure if she had heard him correctly. She felt her stomach let out a low grumble and turned to Sylveon, who gave her a hesitant look, not wanting to admit that it was also hungry. Serena sighed before she stood up and gave Archdeacon Sycamore a short nod. His smile grew, and he gestured with his hand for Serena and Sylveon to follow him. The Arcean and her partner followed the archdeacon across the hall, keeping themselves at a distance from the man.   
Archdeacon Sycamore opened the door to a moderately-sized dining hall at the other side of the aisle, where monks and nuns talked together with several small Pokemon. Two nuns were filling bowls with Pokemon food while a monk was stirring a pot of stew hanging above a fire. Archdeacon Sycamore clapped his hands, and the room became silent with all eyes turning to him.  
"Attention, everyone," he began, turning to Serena. "This is Serena and her partner, Sylveon. They have claimed sanctuary from the justice minister and are our guests tonight." The monks, nuns, and Pokemon all exclaimed words/calls of welcome, making the honey blonde woman and her partner feel more uneasy. "Now that we are all here let us begin."  
The two nuns placed the bowls of Pokemon food on the floor where the Pokemon sat in front of them and waited patiently. Sister Sophie took it upon herself to grab another bowl of Pokemon food for Sylveon. The humans grabbed wooden bowls and got in line in front of the fireplace, where the cook filled their bowls. Archdeacon Sycamore and Serena were last in line, and they sat down with the archdeacon at the end of the table and Serena sitting next to him. Sister Sophie put Sylveon's food beside Serena's chair to eat next to its friend and then put another Pokemon bowl beside Archdeacon Sycamore's chair where a Gible was waiting. Two monks gave each person a slice of bread and a small goblet of wine before taking their seats. With everyone in place, Archdeacon Sycamore, Sister Sophie, and the rest of the church members took a moment to say grace before everyone began eating.   
For the next few minutes, Serena ate her stew and bread while still feeling awkward eating with the church members. The monks and nuns engaged in friendly conversation as they ate, and yet there she was alone, not knowing anyone. She looked at her side to see Sylveon feeling the same despite enjoying a suitable helping of Pokemon food. Archdeacon Sycamore sipped the rest of his stew and then noticed the young woman's demeanor.   
"There's no need to be unsettled, my child," He said.   
"What? Oh, no. I'm not unsettled at all," Serena lied with a forced grin.   
"Come now. There's no need to lie," Archdeacon Sycamore said. "You find our friendliness and hospitality anomalous. I can see it in your eyes."  
Serena opened her mouth to deny it again but then accepted that there was no fooling the old man.   
"It's just that you're not like anyone in your faith that I've met," Serena confessed.   
The archdeacon chuckled and said, "Thank you. I take delight in being different since what you no doubt have seen or heard goes against the holy word."  
"But I thought you are supposed to show contempt against those who don't follow your beliefs," Serena said.  
Archdeacon Sycamore frowned and pushed his bowl away to rest his arms on the table with his hands clasped together. Serena became confused as she watched him let out a sad sigh.  
"Yes, I imagine you would be led to believe that," Archdeacon Sycamore said. "But despite what you may think, the holy word does not command us to behave that way around others. There was a time in early history where the Lord commanded his people to keep away from pagans and fight them, but that was at a time where there were people who did far more foul and wicked things than merely worshiping a Pokemon."  
"So, you don't mind that my people and Pokemon worship Arceus?" Serena asked.   
"I didn't say that. It is a great sin to have any other gods before the Lord. Make no mistake," Archdeacon Sycamore clarified. "But your sins do not warrant the persecution that your people and Pokemon have gone through in our city."  
Serena frowned, unconvinced, and asked, "Then why are the Arceans hunted down and imprisoned? It seems like people like Minister Markenel chose to believe that your god wants you to destroy those who are against him because he did want that in the past."  
"They do," Archdeacon Sycamore said bluntly.   
Serena looked at him, taken back, and said, "You speak the faults of the people of your religion so unhesitatingly."  
"I would be a fool not to," the old man said. "There have always been people who say they follow God but do not practice the truth, deceiving themselves with false doctrine. People fall into pride and hatred when the Bible says we must be humble and love one another in fellowship."  
"So, you really don't see Arceans as people and Pokemon who deserve imprisonment and death?" Serena asked.   
"No. If anything, hating someone for one sin undermines the fact that we all have sinned, including those who follow him wholeheartedly," Archdeacon Sycamore said. "Even so, the Lord is willing to forgive our trespasses no matter who they are. In fact, there have been people in the Bible who weren't God's people that showed more faith and held more to his commandments than his people. Sometimes faith is true where it shouldn't exist, and it falters where it should be thriving. Even the Lord Jesus himself was outcast by people who claimed to be children of God because his teachings didn't match with human understanding even though his teachings are in the law that people studied and offer the gift of life."  
Serena continued to stare at the archdeacon, feeling puzzled the more he spoke.  
"Let me see if I have this straight," she began. "My people and Pokemon have been persecuted for years because our oppressors say it is just and not because of what your god actually wants you to do?"  
"Yes," Archdeacon Sycamore said. "Since before you were born, I have tried to reach out to our citizens and teach them humility and how we gain nothing by only loving those who love us. There are those with sincere hearts who want to uphold the Lord's teachings, but others, like Minister Markenel, are misguided and twist the word in a convenient way for them. Humanity has been this way since the day we began to sin and will continue to be that way until the end of the world. All we can do is look to God for guidance and trust in what he's doing."  
Serena hummed and said, "This is all very strange to me. I'm not even sure I can believe that your religion and Markenel's are the same."  
The archdeacon gave a hearty chuckle and said, "I imagine the lieutenant, and I come off as members of some splinter group compared to what you've seen out in the city."  
Serena's confused face turned into a bitter glare, and Sylveon lifted its head from its food to give the man a sour look.   
"Don't degrade yourself to him and his Pokemon partner," Serena said. "It's because of them that Markenel has soldiers in every door waiting to arrest Sylveon and me."  
"Sylveon," Sylveon said in agreement.   
"Perhaps, but I think the two of you know that the boy and his Pikachu weren't trying to trick you," Archdeacon Sycamore said with a smirk. "Otherwise, he wouldn't have told Markenel that you claimed sanctuary when you actually didn't. He and his Pikachu clearly care about you two."  
Serena opened her mouth to contradict him again but stopped herself once again. She looked at Sylveon, who gave her a hesitant look as they thought about Ash and Pikachu's actions from when they first met them. Eventually, the honey blonde woman sighed and said without looking at the archdeacon, "They are considerate allies, I'll admit."  
The old man gave her a hearty chuckle and said, "I don't think being mere allies were on that young man nor his partner's minds. And judging by the way you were interacting with them, I'd say you wouldn't mind what they are hoping for either."  
Serena flushed, and Sylveon's cheeks became as pink as half of its body. The former turned to Archdeacon Sycamore and asked, "Were you spying on us?"  
"Well, I was passing by and got curious when I saw you four," the old man explained. "It isn't every day you see a soldier and an Arcean having an affable conversation with their Pokemon partners, leastways, in the house of God."  
Serena scoffed and turned her head to face the archdeacon again and said, "You are a silly man."  
"I'm silly? You and your Sylveon are the ones being bashful when the lieutenant and his partner praised your dancing," Archdeacon Sycamore countered.   
The honey blonde woman's face turned beet red, and her Pokemon looked down to finish its meal to hide its bashful face. Archdeacon Sycamore chuckled again until he heard the sound of the church bells ringing from above. He sighed and stood up from his seat along with the monks and nuns. Serena and Sylveon looked at everyone, confused before they wolfed down the rest of their food and followed the head of the church out of the room  
"What's going on?" She asked.   
"It's time for us to prepare for evening mass," the archdeacon answered. "It's a time of worship and prayer after sundown."  
"Then, what are Sylveon and I supposed to do?" Serena asked.  
"Whatever you wish," Archdeacon Sycamore said with a smile. "Rest, look around, pray if you like."  
Serena frowned and stood in front of Archdeacon Sycamore, saying, "With all due respect, Your Excellency, I'm grateful for what you've done for Sylveon and me, but you cannot expect me to pray to your god."  
"I didn't say I was," Archdeacon Sycamore said. "I was merely making a suggestion. After all, the Lord helps those in need and answers all prayers, sometimes in ways we do not expect."  
"But how do you know your god does anything or even exists?" Serena questioned. "Have you ever seen him or what he's capable of compared to my people and Pokemon knowing that Arceus is real?"  
"Just because I have not seen my Lord doesn't mean he isn't here or has done more than what a Pokemon can do," Archdeacon Sycamore answered. "I believe that there are things at work beyond what we understand in our world, for true faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance of what we do not see."  
Serena continued to look at the old man skeptically, thinking he was advertising his beliefs to her, and yet, despite how she looked at it, there was a small part of her that felt tempted to give it a try. Her faith in the original one was strong, but her heart was willing to take different measures for any chance of hope in her world. Sylveon and the archdeacon patiently watched Serena debate with herself until she finally decided to roll the dice.   
"How do I speak to him?" She asked with a hesitant look.  
Archdeacon Sycamore turned his head to the front stage of the cathedral and said, "Choose one of the rows of pews, kneel down, clasp your hands, and pray."  
Serena looked at the rows of pews that were far apart from each other for people to kneel down from their seats. She looked at the stage where there were wall paintings of bible characters and a gold cross standing at the center.   
"Is there a painting that I'm supposed to look at when I pray?" Serena asked.   
"No, you don't need to look at anything," Archdeacon Sycamore said. "Just pray."  
With his last instruction, the archdeacon left to do his duties, leaving the young woman and her Pokemon alone. Serena hesitated with the idea, finding the lack of needing something to look at while praying to be flimsy before she sighed and picked a seat in the middle row on the right side to pray. Sylveon followed its friend, concerned with the decision Serena was making outside of their belief. The honey blonde woman got on her knees and clasped her hands. She looked around the hall to make sure only she and Sylveon were around and began to speak.  
"Dear God…"  
She flinched and bit her lips, feeling silly as though she talked to an imaginary friend from her childhood. Sylveon's concern for Serena's unusual decision grew until the woman let out a groan before she collected herself, looked up at the ceiling, and tried again.  
"Dear God, the archdeacon said that you help those who are in need," she said. "If that is true, then please help my people and Pokemon, who are always in need and persecuted. I beg that you change the views of the people and Pokemon in this city that they will look at the Arceans in love and fellowship as you apparently desire."  
Serena became silent for several seconds, thinking about what to say next.  
"I ask for nothing for myself or my Pokemon except for this," she began. "Give us clarity regarding Ash and Pikachu. I don't know if what we think we feel for them is real or we just think it's real, but if it is, help us see it, and may we find a chance to see them again."  
Serena turned to Sylveon, wondering if it was alright to speak for it. The intertwining Pokemon hesitated until it accepted that it was still conflicted about Pikachu and gave its friend a nod. Serena smiled before she looked up at the ceiling one more time.  
"And please help all who are treated differently. Not just the Arceans," she said. "Help people like that poor man, Timothy, who was tormented by the people just because of how he looks. Give people like him peace and a chance to live happily without punishment for what they are that they may be loved by others."  
With the last prayer, Serena lowered her head and sat on her bottom. She closed her eyes and let out a sigh, feeling as though a great weight was off her chest. Her mind remained uncertain that she accomplished anything, but she was glad to ask for everything that was on her mind. Sylveon licked Serena's hand, and she turned to see it looking worried again for its friend. The honey blonde woman gave her partner a sad smile and pulled the intertwining Pokemon into a hug.  
Suddenly, Serena and Sylveon heard a crash from behind, startling them. Serena put her Pokemon down and stood up to find Timothy standing beside a column, afraid of the honey blonde woman.


	8. Chapter 8

Up in the bell tower, Electchu, Odyssey, and Shockwave were eating their supper, while Timothy sat down on the floor against the wall beside them with no emotion on his face. He told his Pokemon friends everything that happened on the way back up to the tower, and they apologized for convincing him to go. He told them not to feel guilty about it, but his forgiveness did not make the Pikachu, Kirlia, and Riolu feel better. They frequently glanced at the glum hunchback as they ate.  
"You sure you don't want a little of our food, Timothy?" Odyssey asked.   
"No, Odyssey," Timothy said. "I disobeyed Master Markenel, and I deserve not to eat."  
Odyssey frowned and turned to Electchu, who gave an edgy look and asked, "Do you hate us for convincing you to sneak out?"  
"Of course not. You guys did what you thought would be good for me," Timothy said. "It was my fault for letting my guard down and getting on that stage."  
"At least you had fun, though, right?" Shockwave said. "And now we don't need just Master Markenel's word to know how cruel the world is out there."  
"I guess," Timothy said.  
The three Pokemon looked at him confused, and Shockwave asked, "You guess on which part? Had fun or that the world is cruel?"  
"The world being cruel," Timothy answered.   
"What do you mean, you guess?" Odyssey asked. "They tied you down and threw food at you?"  
"I know, but...I guess I want to believe that it wasn't all that bad," Timothy said.  
"Because of that Arcean woman?" Shockwave asked.   
Timothy was silent for a moment before he finally raised his head to look at the Pokemon. Electchu and Odyssey looked at him with tilted heads while the emotion Pokemon gave him a look that implied it already knew the answer. The hunchback sighed and looked away again.  
"Yeah. Because of Serena," he said. "I know she was the one who convinced me to get on the stage because I'm ugly, but she still defended me. The whole thing is just about as much her fault as it is mine, but at the same time, no one has ever been so nice to me before. She even stood up to Master Markenel for me. Then again, she doesn't know that I'm Master Markenel's son, so maybe she would have left me there if she did."  
Shockwave gave a skeptical frown and said, "I think you might be giving her too little credit, Timothy."  
"Yeah, well, we'll never know, will we?" Electchu said.   
Odyssey and Shockwave hummed in agreement while Timothy said nothing. After half a moment, the hunchback stood up and said, "I think I'm gonna go for a walk. You guys keep eating."  
The three Pokemon silently nodded in understanding and went back to their food while Timothy exited the room. He went outside, walked to the south tower, and went down the staircase to the next floor below. He had come to this floor before to think about things since people rarely went as far up the cathedral as the middle floor. Timothy paced from one end of the hall to the next, his mind fixated on Serena.   
As Timothy paced, however, he saw smoke coming from, out of the windows. He walked over to a window to see a group of monks out on one of the lower exterior balconies, fixing some of the cathedral's statues. Some were pouring molten copper onto the busted figures while one of them was stirring copper inside a man-sized cauldron hanging above a fire. The hunchback was fascinated by what they were doing and, against his better judgment, decided to go down another floor where he could watch the monks with the door leading to the balcony slightly open. Timothy smiled like a child fascinated from looking at something he had never seen before while some of the monks began to make conversation.  
"Can you believe the bellringer sneaked out of his tower, Geoffrey?" One monk asked.   
"No, I can't," the monk named Geoffrey answered. "How did he do it anyway? Did he go all the way downstairs and come out from one of the portals without anyone noticing?"  
"If he did, then maybe we should keep a better eye on him," the first monk said.  
"Evan, you know it's forbidden for anyone to go up to the towers except for the justice minister and the archdeacon," Geoffrey said.  
"Okay, maybe not go all the way up there, but we could guard the staircase or something," Evan said. "It might be a little much, but it would be for his own good, especially if he tries anything again."  
"I doubt he will after what happened at the festival," Geoffrey said. "He's lucky that Arcean stood up for him when she did."  
Evan gave a light chuckle and said, "Yeah, that's for sure. To think the Arcean woman is staying here too."  
"She is fortunate," Geoffrey said. "I wonder what she did that riled up the justice minister so much that he'd have soldiers guard all of the cathedral doors."  
"Gentlemen, that's enough discussion," the monks stirring the lead said. "I want us to have all of the statues fixed before it's time for the evening mass."  
Evan and Geoffrey sighed and reluctantly did as they were told. Timothy, on the other hand, backed away from the door, looking down, surprised. He couldn't believe that Serena would be inside Lumiose Cathedral of all places, but at the same time, he wanted to see if she was. He didn't want to speak to her for fear of her learning that he was Markenel's adopted son, but he still wanted to see the beautiful woman from afar.   
Without a moment to think about him getting caught, he went to the nearest staircase to the bottom floor and began searching the main hall, using the columns to hide and make sure Archdeacon Sycamore or any of the monks or nuns were around. Finally, as Timothy was making his way to the stage, he saw the back of a woman with honey blonde hair praying. His heart skipped a beat, instantly knowing it was Serena. He quietly moved closer until he was standing behind the column behind the chairs and dared to peak from his hiding spot close enough to hear what she was praying about.  
"And please help all who are treated differently. Not just the Arceans. Help people like that poor man, Timothy, who was tormented by the people just because of how he looks. Give people like him peace and a chance to live happily without punishment for what they are that they may be loved by others."  
Timothy stood behind the pillar flabbergasted with his mouth hanging open. He could scarcely believe the pagan woman was praying to the Lord much less praying for him, and yet, his heart leaped from her kind-hearted words. He smiled as he watched Serena hug Sylveon and leaned his arm against the column, but in his moment of happiness, he didn't notice Sister Sophie and three other nuns passing by and the head nun spotting him.   
"Timothy! What are you doing?!" Sister Sophie barked.   
Timothy jumped in alarm and accidentally knocked down a candle stand. The stand landed on the ground with a crash, and Serena immediately stood up and turned around to see Timothy.   
"Haven't you caused enough trouble already?!" Sister Sophie rebuked. "Get back in the bell tower!"  
Timothy immediately obeyed, running toward the staircase, hoping Serena wouldn't follow him. However, he was halfway to the stairs before hearing Serena and Sylveon running after him, with the former calling out to him.  
"Wait!" She called out. "Wait, I want to talk to you!"  
But her words only made Timothy run faster. He made it to the staircase and went up every other step as fast as he could, but he could hear Serena's voice echoing behind him from the bottom steps. The hunchback ran from one floor to the next until he was back on the balcony between the two towers. He looked around until he saw a large gargoyle statue a few feet to the side of the south tower staircase entrance and hid behind it before Serena and Sylveon made it to the top of the steps. The honey blonde woman looked around the area and called out Timothy's name before she and her Pokemon partner ran to the south end of the balcony, unknowingly passing him. Timothy took the opportunity to run to the bell tower unnoticed and closed the door behind him just as Electchu, Shockwave, and Odyssey were about to go outside, having finished their supper.  
"Timothy, what's wrong?" Electchu asked.  
"Serena! Cathedral! Here! Sylveon! After me! Hide!" Timothy shouted.  
Electchu, Shockwave, and Odyssey looked at each other confused before the emotion Pokemon asked, "Could you say that again in a complete sentence, please?"  
Timothy took a deep breath and said, "Serena and her Sylveon are here in the cathedral."  
"Serena?" Odyssey asked.  
"In the cathedral?" Shockwave asked.  
"With her Sylveon?" Electchu asked with an excited grin.   
"Yes, and they're chasing after me, and we need to hide!" Timothy said hastily.  
The room was silent with the three Pokemon looking at each other again. Suddenly, to Timothy's surprise, Electchu, Shockwave, and Odyssey began cheering and jumping up and down like little children.  
"Way to go, Timothy!" Shockwave cheered.  
"One day outside, and ya got the ladies chasing you!" Odyssey said before giving Timothy a playful nudge. "To think you had us all worried."  
"And you brought a Sylveon to boot," Electchu added with a sly grin. "Finally, my dream is coming true."  
Shockwave groaned and hit Electchu on the head, saying, "Knock it off with your fantasies, Electchu. This is about Timothy, not you."  
"Hey, there's no reason it can't be both," Electchu protested. “Timothy and I can be each other's wingman."  
"Will you guys be quiet?!" Timothy hissed. "If we don't find a place to hide, they're going to -"  
At that moment, the door opened behind Timothy to reveal Serena and Sylveon. His heart dropped while his Pokemon friends smiled with Shockwave and Odyssey happy to see Serena and Electchu pleased to gaze upon Sylveon. The honey blonde woman sighed in relief with her hand on her heart before she went inside.  
"There you are. I thought I lost you," Serena said.  
Timothy felt his cheeks heat up, and he turned to her with his head down to hide his face.  
"Uh, y-y-yes, it's n-nice to see you...again," he stuttered. "S-s-so sorry, but I can't stay and chat. I, uh, have chores to do and...um...goodbye."  
The shy hunchback ran away again before Serena, or any of the Pokemon could stop him. He climbed up the staircase to the room below the cathedral bells, hoping to find a spot where he could hide. He opened the door and walked a few feet inside the room before he felt a hand around his shoulder, and he turned around to find Serena kneeling in front of him so that she was at eye level with him, turning his face as red as a cherry.  
"Please, stop running," she begged. "I want to apologize for what happened. Had I known who you were, I never in my life would have pulled you up on the stage. I'm so sorry."  
Timothy didn't say anything, still bashful from the beautiful woman so close to him. He wanted to say thank you for what she did at the Feast of Fools and that he had forgiven her, but no words came out of his mouth. Serena waited for a response while Sylveon, Electchu, Shockwave, and Odyssey entered the room behind her. The honey blonde woman was hurt that Timothy wasn't speaking until she looked past him and saw the other side of the room where the wooden model of Lumiose City was standing on a table. She stood up and walked past Timothy, looking at the carvings and the broken glass shining above the table from the setting sun.   
"What is this place?" She asked, turning to Timothy.   
The hunchback sputtered before he answered, "T-t-this is where I live."  
"Really?" Serena asked. "Where did you get these carvings?"  
Timothy looked away bashfully until Shockwave and Odyssey pushed him toward Serena from behind and gestured to him to answer. He looked up at Serena, who was waiting for him to answer, and he lowered his head to hide his red face.  
"I, uh, I got the models from my master, but I made the statues myself," he said.  
"You did? That's incredible," Serena said with a bright smile. She picked two statues up and looked closely at them. "Wow, the blacksmith and the baker. They're so well detailed."  
"Well, I've seen them from up the balcony many times throughout the years, so I know what they looked like," Timothy explained.  
Serena turned her head to Timothy and asked, "You mean you've never seen them in person?"  
"No, I haven't," Timothy said. "Maybe they were somewhere at the festival, but I've never seen them or any of the people that I've made carvings of up close. It's all through my memory after watching them from up here all of my life."  
"Incredible," Serena said. "You're very talented."  
"I'm not as talented as you," Timothy said, lifting his head to look at the honey blonde woman. "You're a wonderful dancer."  
Serena gave him a sweet smile and said, "Thank you." The hunchback turned his head away again, unable to bear the way she looked at him. She giggled at his bashfulness before realizing something Timothy said.  
"Have you really lived here all your life?" She asked.   
"As long as I remember," Timothy answered.  
"Have you ever left the cathedral before today?" Serena asked.   
"No. Today was the only time I left the cathedral walls," Timothy said. "My friends convinced me to attend the Feast of Fools instead of watching it from the balcony like we do every year."  
"Your friends?" Serena asked, turning to Electchu, Shockwave, and Odyssey. "Are you talking about your Pokemon?"  
"Yes, I am," Timothy said.  
"How could they convince you when they can't talk?" Serena asked.   
"Well, Electchu, Shockwave, Odyssey, and I have been together for so long that I can tell what they are saying," Timothy explained.   
"Wow, I didn't know that was possible," she said before turning to the hunchback's friends. "So, you nicknamed all of them?"  
"Yep," Timothy said before pointing at his friends. "This is Odyssey." The Riolu bowed to Serena with one paw on his heart and the other on his back. "This is Shockwave." The Kirlia gave a curtsey before Timothy turned to Electchu. "And this is Electchu."  
"Pleased to meet you all," Serena said.  
Electchu, Shockwave, and Odyssey made calls to say the same thing in their language before Electchu turned to Sylveon, standing beside it.  
"You can call me whatever you want, honey cake," the Pikachu said with a kittenish look.  
Sylveon looked at Electchu in disgust and smacked it in the face with one of its feelers making the Pikachu move back and forth in a daze. Serena gasped while Timothy glared at Electchu, Odyssey facepalmed, and Shockwave rolled its eyes.  
"Sylveon, you know better than that!” she rebuked.  
“Actually, that was Electchu’s fault,” Timothy said. “It said something that ticked off your Sylveon.”  
“It did? What was it?” Serena asked.  
“I don’t want to say,” Timothy said.  
“Please tell me,” Serena said. “I won’t be mad.”  
“Promise?” Timothy asked.  
“Promise,” Serena said.  
The hunchback paused for a moment, embarrassed, and said, “Electchu said...Sylveon could call him whatever it wants...and it called Sylveon ‘honey cake.””  
The room was silent again, with Serena staring at Timothy and then at Electchu and Sylveon. After a moment, she covered her mouth to hide a snort before she burst into high-pitched laughter. Timothy and the Pokemon looked at her, befuddled as she hugged her stomach.  
“You really think it’s funny?” Timothy asked.  
“Believe it or not, Electchu isn’t the first Pikachu to have a thing for Sylveon,” Serena chortled before turning to Sylveon. “Did it really say that?”  
“Sylveon,” Sylveon grumbled while giving Electchu a distasteful look.   
Serena snickered and said, “So, Pokemon can woo each other by calling them names like honey cake in their language. Now I’ve heard everything.”  
By this point, Electchu snapped out of its daze before looking at Sylveon flirtatiously again as though nothing happened.   
“I think Sylveon likes me, guys,” Electchu said.  
“Yeah, it thinks you’re really smooth,” Shockwave said sarcastically.  
Half of Timothy’s mouth curled up, relieved that Serena was enjoying herself. The honey blonde woman turned back to him and said, “You’re a surprising person, Timothy.”  
“Uh, I...don’t know about that,” Timothy said bashfully.  
“No, you really are,” Serena said with a smile. “Carving detailed figures of people you only see from above, able to tell what your Pokemon are saying perfectly, not to mention you’re lucky that you have all of this by yourself, and not needing to work.”  
"Well, actually, I'm the bell ringer here," Timothy said. "In fact, the cathedral bells are just above us."  
"They are?" Serena asked, looking up at the ceiling while imagining the bells above them. "I would love to see them."  
"Really?" Timothy asked with a look of hope. "I can show you them if you want."  
"Yes, please," Serena said.  
Timothy beamed and took Serena's hand, ignoring his blush, and led her out of the room with Sylveon, Electchu, Shockwave, and Odyssey following behind. The six of them climbed the ladder beside the room entrance to the first floor where the bells were hanging. Serena and Sylveon looked in awe at the sight of the bells surrounding them.   
"They're beautiful," Serena said. "To think they all can be heard all over the city."  
"Sylveon," Sylveon agreed.   
"They have names, too," Timothy said.  
"You named them?" Serena asked.  
"Oh, no. If it were up to me, I wouldn't be able to decide what to call them," Timothy said. "Their names were given centuries ago by the cathedral's first bellringer, Brother David."  
"Can you introduce me to them?" Serena asked.   
"Absolutely," Timothy said. He climbed up one of the ladders and began naming the bells while using the beams to swing past them like a monkey while saying their names. "This is Allie. Over here is Katy, Brittany, Jordan, Cassidy, Angelica, Logan, and Julie. Then there's the triplets, Hannah, Amanda, and Sarah."  
Serena giggled as she intently listened to the enthusiastic hunchback. Odyssey and Shockwave stood a couple of feet beside Serena, watching their friend with smirks on their faces before the emanation Pokemon nudged Shockwave with its elbow.   
"He's having the time of his life," Odyssey said.   
"It isn't every day that a lady comes up here, and he gets to show her his life up here," Shockwave said. "What interests me more is that Serena is enjoying it. Seems like there's hope for something special for our boy if you know what I mean."  
"I think so too," Odyssey said before looking past Shockwave. "He's doing better than Electchu. That's for sure."  
Shockwave turned its head to see Electchu staring at Sylveon with googly eyes while the intertwining Pokemon watched Timothy with its partner. Shockwave scoffed, confounded by the Pikachu's persistence. Meanwhile, Serena noticed the biggest bell she had ever seen in her life, hanging only seven feet above the floor. She walked over to it and lowered her head to look at the inside with a curious look. Timothy climbed down until he was standing next to Serena with a smile.   
"This is Candra," he said. "You can say hello if you want."  
Serena turned to Timothy, surprised before she smiled in excitement like a child. She leaned her head inside the bell and shouted, "Hello!" Her voice resonated all over the bell's inner surface, making Timothy and Serena cover their ears and back away before they turned to each other and laughed.  
"She likes you," Timothy chortled.   
"I'm glad," Serena said.  
The hunchback then felt a tug on his shirt and turned to Shockwave, who was smirking at him. It gestured to Timothy to lean his head toward it, and he silently obeyed before Shockwave whispered into his ear.   
"I see orange light coming from outside," the emotion Pokemon said. "Maybe the lady would like to see the sunset from the top of the tower?"  
Timothy's eyes lit up, and he nodded to Shockwave in agreement. He turned to Serena and took her hand, saying, "Come on. There's one more thing I want to show you."   
The honey blonde woman smiled and followed him up the steps with the Pokemon once again following behind them. Timothy opened the door to the roof and let Serena go first with a bow that made her giggle again at his chivalry. When she was outside, she took a few steps before stopping with her eyes wide and her mouth hanging open.   
The sun was setting in the mountains beyond Lumiose City's borders, turning the sky into a beauteous mixture of yellow, orange, red, pink, lilac, and purple. Serena walked to the railing to see the entire city from the city square all the way to the main gate. She smiled brightly as Sylveon walked over to look at the view with her, and Timothy stood beside Serena on her left side, happy that she was enjoying the view.  
"I bet King Lysandre himself doesn't have a view like this," Serena said. "I could stay up here forever."  
Timothy turned to Electchu, Shockwave, and Odyssey, who grinned and nodded, knowing what was on his mind. The hunchback cleared his throat and said, "Well, you and Sylveon could stay here if you want."  
Serena's face fell while her eyes were still on the view. She turned to Timothy with a sad smile and said, "I appreciate the offer, Timothy, but I can't stay here."  
Timothy's smile disappeared, and he felt his heart aching as though something sharp had pierced it.  
"Why not? You have sanctuary here," he said.  
"Sanctuary, but not freedom," Serena said. "You and the archdeacon are very kind, but Sylveon and I don't belong here. Our home is with our people and Pokemon."  
"But you're not like other Arceans. They're evil," Timothy said.  
Serena furrowed her brow and turned to face the hunchback, asking, "How do you know what other Arceans are or aren't like when you've never left this place before today?"  
Timothy winced, realizing that he had offended Serena. He turned his back on her and looked down at the floor, rubbing his arm in shame.   
"It's...it's just how I was taught," he answered.   
"By who?" Serena demanded.   
"I won't say," Timothy said.  
"Why not?" Serena asked.  
"Because then you'll hate me if I tell you," Timothy answered.   
"Hate you?" Serena asked, confused.   
"Yes, because the person who taught me that Arceans are evil is someone you hate," Timothy said.  
Serena stared at the hunchback facing away from her, unsure of how to respond. She turned to Electchu and Odyssey, who were uneasy with where the conversation was going, and then to Shockwave, who furrowed its brow at Timothy, wanting him to give the woman a clear answer. She walked, stepped in front of him, and gently lifted his chin for him to face her.  
"I don't hate anyone, Timothy," she said. "I am disgusted with what people and Pokemon do to others, but I don't want to hate anyone. Not even my enemies. There's nothing that you can say that will make me think less of you."  
Timothy was silent for a moment, slowly easing up from Serena's comforting words and the sincerity in her ocean-blue eyes. He felt a nudge and looked at Shockwave, who gave him a look of encouragement while Electchu and Odyssey waved their hands, "No." After a few more seconds of debating, he decided to take another chance on the Arcean woman again.  
"I was taught that Arceans are evil by my master, Markenel, who raised me," he confessed.  
"Judge Markenel?" Serena asked dumbfounded. "How could a cruel man like him have raised someone kind like you?"  
"Cruel? Master Markenel is a good man," Timothy claimed. "He saved my life. My mother abandoned me when I was a baby, and he took me in as his son."  
"But he let all of those people tie you up and throw food at you," Serena said.   
"Because I disobeyed him," Timothy said. "Master Markenel warned me that the world is cruel and that people and Pokemon would persecute me, but I still went outside the cathedral, so I deserved to be punished. I'm a monster, you know."  
"Is that what Markenel told you?" Serena asked.   
Timothy looked at the honey blonde woman like she asked a question she should already know the answer to and said, "Well, look at me."  
Serena stared at the hunchback, taken aback by how he talked down on himself without a hint of doubt. At that moment, she remembered what Ash said about Markenel saying that a lesson was to be made when the people tormented the poor man. Her skin crawled as it hit her how Markenel justified letting his adopted son be bullied. Serena wanted to hug Timothy tight as though he was a child abused by his parent, but she knew it wouldn't stop him from believing that it was his fault. Serena furrowed her brow and looked down in thought until she got an idea. She got down on her knees and put her hands on Timothy's cheeks, instantly making him blush.   
"S-S-Serena, what are you doing?" Timothy asked.   
"You said to look at you, so I'm going to look at you," Serena said.  
She leaned her head toward Timothy's face, which turned beet red. Timothy watched the honey blonde woman, puzzled as she opened his mouth, touched his ears, and ran her fingers through his hair. She then stared deep into his eyes for several seconds before she moved her head back, giving Timothy a smile.   
"Just as I figured," she said.  
"What?" Timothy asked.   
"I don't see any monster lines," Serena said.  
"Monster lines?" Timothy asked.  
"Yup. Not a single one," Serena said. "All I see is a person with a human mouth, ears, hair, and green eyes that show that you're kind-hearted, curious, gentle, and shy."  
Timothy looked at the honey blonde woman with his mouth agape. Never in his life did he imagine anyone would compliment him in such a way. Not even Electchu, Shockwave, and Odyssey had ever thought to give him such sweet words that would make his deformity feel so irrelevant. His three Pokemon friends looked at each other, grinning with Shockwave and Odyssey, growing more hopeful of Serena's feelings for Timothy.   
The honey blond woman's smile grew, knowing that her point was made, and said, "Now, what about me? Do you think I'm a monster?"   
"What? No!" Timothy replied. "No, you are kind and gentle, and…"  
"And an Arcean," Serena finished. "So maybe Markenel is wrong about both of us. Maybe being different doesn't make us monsters. I even wager what he's told you aren't even what your god wants you to believe."  
Timothy stood still, speechless for half a moment before he looked down in thought. Deciding to let him ponder on his own, Serena stood up and turned to look at the view of the city. By now, the sky had grown dark, and stars were appearing. After a couple of moments, Timothy turned his head to Serena, who lowered her head with a glum look, and Sylveon stood beside her, knowing what was on its partner's mind. Timothy furrowed his brow and began to think again for half a moment before he smiled and put his hand on Serena's back, catching her attention.  
"You helped me out, so I'm going to help you and Sylveon escape," he said.   
"But how? There are soldiers in every door," Serena said.  
"We won't use a door," Timothy said. "We're going to climb down."  
"We can't do that," Serena said.  
"Sure we can. That's how I sneaked to the festival unnoticed," Timothy said. "I'll carry you and Sylveon, climb down from the back of the tower to the main roof. From there, we'll go down to the side of the cathedral where there aren't any guards around, and you two can make your way back home."  
"Are you sure you can carry both of us?" Serena asked.  
"Of course. Compared to the strength I need to ring the bells, you and Sylveon will feel as light as feathers to me," Timothy said. "Just trust me like I trusted you."  
Serena hesitated, uneasy with the plan. She turned to Sylveon, who bit its lip, then to Electchu, Shockwave, and Odyssey, who nodded with assuring smiles. The honey blonde woman sighed before she turned back to Timothy and smiled.  
"Okay. Let's do it."  
Timothy smiled as the honey blonde woman kneeled down with her back facing Sylveon. The intertwining Pokemon whimpered before it reluctantly climbed on her back and wrapped its feelers around her. Serena stood up and turned to Timothy's friends.   
"Goodbye, Electchu, Shockwave, Odyssey," she said. "Take care of Timothy."  
The Pikachu, Kirlia, and Riolu made calls to say goodbye before Electchu turned to Sylveon with a flirtatious grin.  
"I'll be dreaming of the day we reunite, honey raisin," it said.   
Sylveon gagged in disgust, and Timothy, Shockwave, and Odyssey gave the mouse Pokemon disapproving looks.  
"What did Electchu say?" Serena asked.   
"Never mind what it said," Timothy said. "Let's get going."  
Serena shrugged and rolled her eyes, smirking before she climbed up on Timothy's hunch and wrapped her arms around his neck. Timothy walked over to the other side of the tower and gave Electchu, Shockwave, and Odyssey one last look before he climbed over the railing.   
Immediately, Sylveon tightened its hold on Serena, who strengthened her hold on Timothy. The hunchback slowly climbed down the tower, careful not to make any sudden movements that might make Serena lose her hold on him. When they were halfway down, Timothy made a leap to a spiral standing fifteen yards behind the north tower. The sudden jump made Serena and Sylveon scream until Timothy caught one of the gargoyle statues sticking out from the sides of the spire with both hands. He climbed down the spire until he was far enough down to jump onto one of the roof tiles.   
Timothy paused to turn his head to Serena and asked, "Are you alright?"  
The honey blonde woman took a second to collect herself before she smiled and said, "I'm managing. You're quite an acrobat."  
"Thank you," Timothy said.  
Suddenly, the roof title gave out, and Timothy, Serena, and Sylveon were sliding down toward the edge. Yellow sparks came out from the sides of the title, sliding against the metal railing. The two humans and the Pokemon screamed as the title came closer to the edge until Timothy jumped off at the last minute and grabbed the ledge before they fell off the building. The title slid off the edge and soared fifty yards before it landed on the road with a crash. Timothy waited until he was sure none of the soldiers heard the commotion before he descended all the way to the stone ground.   
"Okay, you two can get off now," Timothy said.   
Serena let go of Timothy's neck and climbed off his hunch. She turned her head to Sylveon, who was stricken with terror and crouched down for it to get off. The intertwining Pokemon hesitated until it reluctantly reached its hind paw to touch the solid ground before ultimately getting off Serena's back.  
"I hope you weren't too scared," Timothy said.  
"Don't worry. It was kinda exciting more than anything else," Serena said with a smile. "I wish I could say Sylveon felt the same way, though."  
"S-s-s-s-Syl-v-v-veon," Sylveon whimpered.  
Serena kneeled down in front of Sylveon and began petting it until it eventually calmed down. Timothy smiled, glad that the two of them were okay before his face fell, knowing that the honey blonde woman was going to leave soon.   
"I'll never forget you, Serena," he said.  
Serena looked up from Sylveon and saw in the hunchback's green eyes that he didn't want to part ways. She stood up and took Timothy's hands.   
"Come with me," she said.  
"What?" Timothy asked blushing.  
"Come with me to the Court of Miracles. Leave this place," Serena said. "You can climb up to take Electchu, Shockwave, and Odyssey with you."  
"Oh, no. I can't do that," Timothy said. "You saw what happened out there."  
"I'll be there to make sure everyone welcomes you," Serena said.   
"I believe you, but even then, I wouldn't fit in because I don't share your faith. Not to mention I don't want to upset Master Markenel by leaving like that," Timothy said. "No, Lumiose Cathedral is where I belong."  
Serena frowned at how Timothy's thoughts were on Markenel. Then she smiled and let go of Timothy's hands and put hers behind her back.  
"Okay, then I'll come visit you," she said.  
"What? But...but the soldiers," Timothy said.  
"I'll come after sunset," Serena said.  
Timothy looked away shyly and said, "But at sunset, I ring the evening mass, and clean the cloisters, and ring the vespers and -"  
Timothy's voice suddenly died in his throat when he felt something soft touch his cheek. His eyes turned to see Serena leaning in and kissing him with her eyes closed. She pulled back to give her the same friendly smile she had been giving him throughout the evening together with their Pokemon. The hunchback flushed and played with his fingers as he talked with a dopey grin on his face.  
"W-w-whatever is good for you," he said.   
Serena giggled with her mouth closed, knowing that she won so easily. She reached under her top, took out a necklace hanging around her neck, and put it on Timothy's neck. Timothy lifted the center of the necklace to see a woven pointed ellipse hanging above a chain. A white cross covered the top of the ellipse and was surrounded by a smaller blue ellipse with blue lines connecting the edges. On the right side of the blue ellipse was a small golden cross.   
"If you ever need sanctuary, this will show you the way," Serena said.  
"How?" Timothy asked.  
"Just remember this: when you hold this woven band, you hold the city in your hand," Serena answered.   
Without another word, Serena put her hand on Timothy's cheek as a silent act of saying farewell and ran down the street with Sylveon into the darkness of the night. Timothy stared at where he last saw the honey blonde woman with his hand on the cheek that she kissed before he smiled blissfully as he climbed back up the cathedral.


	9. Chapter 9

Timothy still had a blissful smile on his face when he climbed back up the bell tower. His mind was on the time he had just spent with Serena, and the moment she kissed his cheek. It felt like he had just woken up from a wonderful dream even though he knew it all happened. He wished the honey blonde woman could have stayed, but he knew it was the right thing to help her escape.   
Timothy climbed over the railing to the balcony between the two towers and took out a moment to let out a happy sigh. He walked over to the bell tower and went inside to his room beneath the bells to find Electchu, Shockwave, and Odyssey standing on the other side, beaming. The hunchback only had a moment to react before the three Pokemon pounced on him, making him fall on his back as they cheered and laughed while hugging their friend.  
"Way to go, Timothy!" Electchu shouted.  
"You were magnificent!" Odyssey praised.  
"I've never been so happy in my life!" Shockwave squealed.  
"Hey, get off me, guys," Timothy said before the Pokemon let him go, and he stood up. "What are you talking about?"  
"Oh, pff, listen to him acting like he doesn't know," Odyssey said.   
"Yeah, like he didn't just hit it off with his lady," Electchu said.  
"My what?" Timothy asked.  
"You're lady," Shockwave said. "We're talking about Serena. Yellow hair, easy on the eyes, her Pokemon partner is a Sylveon. Remember?"  
"Boy, I do," Electchu said with a sly grin. "I may not have hit things off with that beauty, but our pal got things looking good for him. Way to go, lover boy!"  
"Way to go, lover boy? I'm not a lover boy," Timothy said.  
"Oh, don't be so modest, Timothy. She obviously has a thing for you," Shockwave said. "She enjoyed learning about you and your life up here, and you know it."  
Timothy opened his mouth to speak before he looked away with his cheeks turning pink. He snapped out of his bashful thoughts and turned back to his friends with a serious look.  
"Look, thank you all for the encouragement, but let's face facts here," he said. "I'm the ugliest person in all of Kalos, and she has a life out there where she's a part of a pagan religion, remember? It's obvious that I'm not her type."  
"You don't know that," Odyssey said. "She didn't seem to have an issue with your looks while she was up here, and you said it yourself that she stood up for you at the festival. Why I bet, she cares so little about how you look that she would kiss you if she wanted to."  
Timothy immediately flushed and turned his head away for a moment before looking at the Pokemon with a goofy smile. Electchu, Shockwave, and Odyssey were confused with how the hunchback looked at them until Shockwave's eyes widened, and it gasped loudly.  
"Did she kiss you?!" It asked.  
"On...the cheek," Timothy admitted.   
The Pokemon looked at each other before they cheered again. Timothy's blush grew as his friends began dancing in a circle, hand in hand, as they sang, "Timothy's got a suitress! Timothy's got a suitress!" He walked away from the Pokemon, not wanting to say anything else that would further get their hopes up, and walked over to the rectangular window next to his table of carvings. Timothy rested his arms on the ledge and looked outside to see the moon had risen and was shining brightly above Lumiose City. He rested his chin on his arms and began to wonder if Serena and Sylveon made it to the Court of Miracles safely.   
As he thought of them, he noticed a couple in their late thirties walking down the street with their Munchlax. The man was tall and muscular with tan skin, dark eyes, black hair, a black man bun, and a goatee. The woman's height reached her beloved's nose, and she also had tan skin with a slim figure, yellow eyes, and medium-short white spiky hair pointing backward. The couple walked halfway across a bridge before they stopped to look at the moon. The woman rested her head on her husband's shoulder, and he wrapped his arm around her waist before kissing the top of her head. Their Munchlax sat down beside the woman's feet, waiting patiently for the couple to finish having their romantic moment.  
Timothy lifted his head as he watched the couple. His blush came back as he began to imagine Serena and him down there, looking at the moon together. It seemed like they could sneak out of the cathedral and go on a walk through the city with her promise to visit him. He then thought of Serena watching him ring the bells for the evening mass, sneaking food so the two of them could eat together or otherwise just talk. Maybe, by some miracle, Sylveon might warm up to Electchu, and they would begin courting together with their human friends. Timothy knew it was too good to be true, and yet the way she showed how much she cared about him, liked getting to know him, and even kissed his cheek with a smile gave him hope that she felt more than friendship for the hideous man.  
With those thoughts filling his mind, he took a small block of wood and a carving knife, sat down on his stool in front of his model city, and began to sculpt. By this point, Electchu, Shockwave, and Odyssey had stopped dancing and walked over to watch their friend carve out a sculpture of Serena dancing. The three Pokemon smirked at their friend, who was smiling as he focused on his project. Shockwave walked over to the cabinet on the other side of the room, took out a paintbrush and some small cans of paint, and walked back just as Timothy had finished carving and blew the dust and splinters off the figure. He silently thanked the Kirlia before he began to paint the statue, starting from the bottom up with Serena's dress all the way to her head. When he finished painting her honey blonde hair, he put the Serena figure on the bridge's model where the couple outside was and then placed his own figure next to it. Electchu, Shockwave, and Odyssey's smirks grew as Timothy stared at the two figures with a small smile, imagining himself and Serena together on the bridge for real.   
After a couple of minutes, Timothy looked at the sky and realized that it was time to ring the evening mass bells. He sighed before he gave the figures of him and Serena one more fond look before he stood up and left the room, but he still had a smile on his face, feeling like everything had suddenly turned right for him.

******************************************************************************************

Ash was in his new quarters in the Palace of Justice, writing a report about the Feast of Fools and his and Pikachu's "attempt" to arrest Serena and Sylveon. Pikachu was sleeping on his bed, and the only light in the room was a candle on Ash's writing desk. The bells for the evening mass began to ring, and the raven-haired man stopped writing and glanced out the window next to his desk, where he could see Lumiose Cathedral at a distance. He furrowed his brow and sighed with his mind on Serena. Even though Archdeacon Sycamore assured him he would let Serena know that he didn't mean to trap her and Sylveon, he still felt guilty that he prevented them from returning to their home.   
Ash finished the rest of his report and rolled it up before leaving his quarters. He walked up the next floor to Giovanni’s office, knocked on the door, and waited before he heard a blunt, “Enter.” Ash came in to see his father writing his own report about the festival, and Persian was lying on its bed made especially for it.   
Ash put his feet together and saluted before Giovanni looked up from his report and asked, “Is that your report, Lieutenant?”   
“Yes, sir,” Ash answered.   
“Including your attempt to apprehend the Arcean woman and her Pokemon at the cathedral?”  
“Yes, sir.”  
“Let me see it.”  
Ash walked over to Giovanni, and the captain unrolled the parchment and looked at its contents. Ash waited patiently, with his head facing the wall behind his superior. After a minute and a half, Giovanni rolled the parchment and placed it on the side of his desk before standing up and walking over to face Ash.  
“One day under the justice minister’s service and having a report brought to me before the time of the evening mass is the only thing you’ve done efficiently,” he said. “You arrived later than ordered, constantly questioned Minister Markenel’s command, and failed to capture an Arcean twice. I cannot overemphasize how I expect more from you, Lieutenant.”  
Ash resisted the urge to wince from his father’s harsh words.   
“When I recommended that you become my second-in-command, I expected you to be better than all of the other troops in my command given your record in the wars,” Giovanni continued. “The justice minister may be more lenient, but if you continue to fail in meeting expectations, he will not hesitate to punish you and your partner. Don’t disappoint me again.”  
“I won’t, sir,” Ash said.  
“Dismissed,” Giovanni said.   
Ash saluted and turned around, heading for the door. Before he reached for the handle, Giovanni walked over and stood in front of Ash, making him back away.  
“One more thing, Lieutenant,” he began. “The next time a fugitive declares sanctuary, you are to ignore it straight away.”  
“Sir, with all due respect, isn’t that against the law?” Ash asked.  
“Not as far as I am concerned,” Giovanni said. “Superstitions and permits do not overrule Minister Markenel or us. The only reason we abide by anything those “holy people” say is that our elected official is a part of their religion. Still, if he deems it necessary to ignore specific rules of the church, we will carry it out. Is that clear?”  
“Yes, sir,” Ash said.   
“Good. Dismissed,” Giovanni said.   
Ash saluted a third time, and the captain moved away from him to get out. Ash reached for the handle again and opened the door to find Markenel reaching for the handle on the other side. The judge gave a brief chuckle at the timing as Ash and Giovanni saluted to him.   
“Captain, Lieutenant, I hope I’m not interrupting anything,” Markenenal said.  
“No, sir. The lieutenant was just here to deliver his report and was about to leave,” Giovanni said.   
“Ah, excellent,” Markenel said, turning to Ash with a smirk. “On that note, I feel I must commend you for your efforts, Lieutenant.”  
Giovanni and Ash looked at Markenel, confused, and the latter asked, “My efforts, sir?”  
“Yes. I’ve thought it over and realized that you have given us the best opportunity to capture the Arcean woman and her Pokemon,” Markenel said. “After all, it was you who found them in the cathedral of all places. It truly takes a cunning soldier to find the wicked in the last place one would expect.”  
“With all due respect, sir, I must state that the lieutenant’s efforts do not overlook that he failed to capture the fugitives,” Giovanni said.  
“Oh, I wouldn’t go that far, captain. It is thanks to the lieutenant that the Arcean, Serena, is trapped in the cathedral with your soldiers guarding every entrance,” Markenel said. “With no way out and our scouts searching for her and her partner, it’s only a matter of time before we capture her, and it will be all thanks to Lieutenant Ash. Wouldn’t you say?”   
Giovanni grimaced, not wanting to say anything that would contradict his words of discipline. Ash’s heart sank as Markenel’s praise made him ashamed of how his hopes to save Serena and Sylveon worked against them. He continued to keep a professional face to hide his true feelings until he realized part of what Markenel said.  
“Excuse me, sir, but what scouts are you referring to?” he asked.  
“Oh, your father came up with the idea to disguise some of our soldiers as citizens about to partake in the evening mass so that they could search for the Arcean woman and her Pokemon unnoticed,” Markenel explained. “With any luck, they will quietly take her out of the cathedral with the archdeacon none the wiser.”  
It took all of Ash’s willpower to resist the urge to finally break his professional demeanor. He wanted to scream “No” at the top of his lungs, horrified that he and Pikachu might have doomed the woman and Pokemon they wanted to save. Giovanni smirked with the judge, confident that his plan would produce better results that will overshadow what they thought his son tried to do.   
At that moment, however, Butch and Cassidy entered the office with the door still open. They were wearing old, rugged citizen clothes that were covered by their black cloaks. They put their feet together and saluted Markenel and Giovanni, simultaneously shouting, “Sir!” Giovanni waved his hand to tell them to be at ease while Markenel furrowed his brow, noticing the unease in the soldiers’ eyes.  
“Where is she?” he demanded.  
Butch and Cassidy hesitated in fear before the former said, “Sir, the Arcean and her Pokemon have escaped.”  
“What?!” Giovanni growled. “Did you search everywhere?”   
“Every inch of the building except for the towers as instructed,” Cassidy answered. “We looked for her among the participants of the mass and all the rooms, including the archdeacon’s bedroom. She’s nowhere in the cathedral. She’s gone.”  
Markenel and Giovanni looked at the two soldiers, confounded by everything they just heard. Giovanni clenched his teeth, and his hands turned into fists, while Markenel looked down at the floor in frustration, trying to comprehend that Serena and Sylveon escaped. Butch and Cassidy covered their shaking hands and legs with their cloaks. On the other hand, Ash mentally sighed in relief, and the edges of his mouth began to curl up before he stopped himself just as Markenel lifted his head with a calm face that tried to hide the rage in his eyes.  
“I will retire for the evening,” he announced.   
Without another word, the judge exited Giovanni’s office, moving past Butch and Cassidy as if they weren’t there. The room was silent until Giovanni broke the silence by saying, “Dismissed.” Butch, Cassidy, and Ash saluted and left the room, with Ash walking in the opposite direction from the two soldiers. He turned his head to see Giovanni slamming the door to his office, making Butch and Cassidy jump as they walked away. Ash looked down at the floor while walking and finally let himself smile widely. He quietly thanked the Lord as he headed back to his quarters, ready for a good night's sleep.

**************************************************************************************** 

When Markenel entered his bedroom, he closed the door behind him, put his back against the wall, and shut his eyes before he let out a scream. His hands were half-closed as though he was about to strangle someone. He walked over to the window beside his bed and glared at Lumiose Cathedral bitterly as though the building was alive and willingly let the fugitives escape his grasp without a care. In his mind, Markenel could hear Archdeacon Sycamore mockingly laugh at him because he prevented the judge from getting what he wanted again.  
With a growl, the judge opened the chest in front of his bed and started changing into his nightgown. However, as he took off his rings, he felt something slide off his sleeve and land on the floor. Markenel took a step back and looked down to find Serena’s scarf lying on the floor and suddenly remembered that he had stashed it. His face softened as he got down on his knees and picked up the scarf. He stared at it for a moment before he brought it up to his nose and sniffed it, smelling an unmistakable aroma. Markenel then closed his eyes and rubbed the scarf against his face, imagining the soft touch as someone’s hand.   
Suddenly, Markenel’s eyes snapped open, and he threw the scarf against the wall. He looked down and stared at his hands as if they moved against his will. His mouth was hanging open, and his jaw was shaking, yet he felt an urge to crawl on all fours and pick the scarf back up. The desire grew to the point that he began to breathe heavily, afraid of his own body.  
Markenel’s gaze then turned to the large portrait of the Virgin Mary, and his body instantly stopped shaking. His breathing died down to a steady pace as he looked at the painting with a feeling of hope. The judge stood up, walked over the picture hanging above his writing desk, put his hands together, and bowed his head.  
“Blessed Maria, hear me, and answer my prayer,” he said. “Your servant needs your guidance more than he ever has before.  
Markenel paused for a moment as if he needed to wait for Maria to be ready to hear what he had to say.  
“Maria, you, above all others, know that I am righteous and pure. Despite all the vulgar, weak, self-indulgent beings around me, my virtue is strong, and I am justly proud of all I have done with the position God has given me,” he said. “But something has changed within me. I feel a pull to something that is meant to taint me. Never has any temptation thrown my willpower off balance, yet this feeling has done so with little effort. What has happened was done by something, not from this physical world. Something that would destroy even the holiest of worshippers.”  
Markenel lifted his head to gaze at the painting as if doing so would cure him of his trouble. Despite his belief, however, the picture did nothing to drive the thoughts in his mind. Markenel's heart began to sink as he grew worried that what was tormenting him was more powerful than his idol.  
Just then, Markenel saw the eyes in the painting blink. He looked at it in puzzlement until he saw them blink two more times. The woman in the portrait's head turned to face Markenel, and he backed away to the wall. With her hands clasped together, the woman's entire body came out of the portrait, and she levitated three feet above the ground at the center of the room. Markenel's mouth hung open as the woman gracefully landed on the ground. He fell to his knees and bowed his head until it touched the floor, and the woman smirked.  
"Rise, my child," she said.   
Markenel immediately obeyed with tears running down his face and a bright smile on his face.  
"Maria, you've come down from the heavens to my time of need," he said.   
"Tell me, my child, what is it that disturbs you?" Maria asked.  
Markenel's face went dark, and he said, "It's the Arcean woman, Serena. She has cast a spell on me."  
"In what way?" Maria asked.   
"I see her face everywhere," Markenel answered. "I see her as clearly as I see you now, dancing with the sun making her hair shine like gold. Her smile and the movement of her body enchants me. The very memory of her scent is making me go insane."  
"Hmmm, indeed," Maria said calmly "And what pray tell does it make you want to do?"  
"It makes me want her," Markenel confessed. "Not as a heathen that must be tortured, imprisoned, and, if necessary, executed for her wicked ways, but as something to fulfill desires of the flesh. I don't know if this is done through witchcraft, or she is possessed by an impure spirit - maybe even the devil himself, but something unnatural is turning me to sin. I beg of you to drive this unholy force away from your servant."   
With his confession finished, the judge bowed his head again. Maria remained silent with the same calm expression she had in the painting. She reached out and placed her hand on Markenel's bald head, and he lifted his head to look at her.  
"Dear child, you are right to confess and ask for help," she said. "But I'm afraid no sorcery or evil spirit has caused you to feel this way. This is the work of something weaker than any of those things."  
Markenel stared at her, puzzled, and said, "I don't understand. How can something weak manage to corrupt a righteous man like me?"  
"It's quite simple," Maria said. "The thing that is turning you to sin is your very self."  
The dark room became quiet after the woman from the painting gave her answer. Markenel looked at her in disbelief as he took a step back and shook his head.  
"No," he said. "No, no, no, no, no. That's impossible. How could I cause myself to turn to sin?"  
"How could you not?" Maria replied. "You know that what you desire is unholy, but deep down, you deeply want it. You cannot deny that having your way with one so alluring would please you greatly. Deep in your heart, you refuse to fully drive out the temptation before it consumes you."  
"No. No, you're wrong," Markenel claimed.   
Suddenly, Markenel felt a strong gust of black wind blow at him. He shut his eyes and covered his face with his arms to protect himself until the wind sporadically stopped. Markenel opened his eyes, and his mouth dropped in awe to find himself and Maria standing in the middle of a large hall standing twenty stories tall. There was no light except for the one shining down above the judge and the woman from the painting. On both sides of the hall were faceless, fifteen feet-tall figures covered in red cloaks, sitting in five rows each and looking down on Markenel.   
"Mea culpa," They chanted as one voice. "Mea culpa. Mea maxima culpa cogitatione verbo et opere. Mea culpa. Mea culpa. Mea maxima culpa cogitatione verbo et opere."  
Markenel covered his ears as though the figures were screaming their chant. He shut his eyes, clenched his teeth, and got down to his knees. Maria circled around the old man as if she was interrogating a criminal.   
"You know what they are saying," she said. "'My fault. My fault. My greatest fault in thought, in word, and deed.' They are waiting for you to say those very words. To confess that you have sinned against God."  
"No! No! I refuse!" Markenel shouted.  
"You must. There's no other way," Maria said.   
"I'm not to blame for this! It's Serena who has done this to me!" Markenel claimed.   
"Serena does not possess any power against the mind," Maria said. "You must admit that you're are flawed. That you are not the perfect man you say you are."  
Markenel's eyes snapped open, and he lifted his head once more to look at the woman from the painting, dumbfounded that she would attack his pride. His disbelief turned into hot anger, and he stood up to look at the red-hooded figures.  
"SILENCE!" He roared.   
The cloaked figures stopped chanting, and Maria raised her eyebrow while still showing little emotion. With the tables turned, Markenel shouted, "First, the Arcean siren cast a spell on me and tried to pin it on me, and now even the blessed Maria and her subjects believe in her lies?! You are wrong! All of you are wrong, and I'm the only one who sees it!"  
"And what would a mere mortal know of power that can best even me?" Maria challenged.  
"I am no mere mortal!" Markenel shouted. "I am Minister Markenel! I am a righteous judge who has devoted his life to destroy the devil's work in this world. If it were not so, God would not have blessed me with such power over this city, nor give me that misshapen, Arcean creature to one day use to wipe out the heathens once and for all! This is all a scheme from the enemy to distract me from my destiny, and I will not have it! I will not yield to the temptations that have persuaded you!"  
Nothing but the sound of Markenel's voice echoing all over the hall could be heard. The red-cloaked figures whispered amongst themselves, debating on whether or not the mortal man was right. Markenel turned to Maria, who was looking away from him in thought. He waited until she hummed and turned her head to give him a nod.  
"I think you're right," Maria said. "The enemy is very skilled in telling lies that seem accurate to the holy word. It takes a pure and wise mind to not be swayed, and your ability to see corruption is undeniable. There can be no doubt that we must rely on you to know what must be done."  
Markenel raised his chin up and clasped his hands together with a stone face like he was judging a case in court.   
"The Arcean, Serena, cannot be allowed to further attempt to taint the minds of God’s people. Her powers of seduction are far too powerful. There are only two ways this must end. She must be destroyed and pay for her sins in the fires of hell, or else willingly give herself to me."  
"But does not that mean you are willing to give in to your lust? The very thing that is tempting you?" Maria questioned.   
"Only on my terms," Markenel said. "As my mistress, Serena will be mine and mine alone. She will never lure another man to her seductive ways or be allowed to follow her pagan practices. I will purify her with my body full of righteousness."  
"But you would give yourself into grave sin by letting her seduce you for the rest of your days," Maria said. "It would be your virtue for her salvation."  
"A necessary compromise for such a beautiful creature," Markenel said.   
"And how do you plan to find her?" Maria asked. "Now that she's out of the cathedral, she could be anywhere, most likely in the Court of Miracles."  
"It doesn't matter where Serena is," Markenel said. "I will find her. I'll find her even if I have to burn down all of Lumiose City. One way or another, the Arcean will decide her fate. She will give herself to me, or she will burn at the stake. This is my decree as the justice minister."  
The red-cloaked figures whispered amongst themselves again while Markenel waited for Maria to say something. The woman from the painting clapped her hands, silencing the faceless minions, who turned their heads to her.  
"God's righteous judge has spoken," she declared. "As of now, we are soon to start a spiritual battle like no other. Let justice be done against all who resist, Arceans and people of Lumiose City alike, and may God have mercy on Serena and our righteous judge, Markenel."  
The red-cloaked figures stood up and took out swords, spears, maces, torches, and crucifixes from under their cloaks and raised them. They began to chant, "Kyrie Eleison! Kyrie Eleison! Kyrie Eleison! Kyrie Eleison!" Markenel smirked triumphantly and raised his fist into the air.  
"Yes, Lord, have mercy indeed!" He shouted. "As God is my witness, Serena the Arcean will be mine or she will -"  
Suddenly, Markenel heard a knock on a door, and he jumped and found himself back in his bedroom. Serena's scarf was still lying against the wall, the chest containing his nightgown was still open, and the painting of Maria stood motionless. There was another knock on his door, and he opened it to find a female servant with short violet hair standing on the other side, holding a candle.  
"What do you want, Matori?" He asked.  
"Forgive me, Minister Markenel, but I heard you screaming from downstairs," Matori answered.  
Markenel resisted the urge to scream at Matori for disturbing him and calmly replied, "Nevermind what you heard. I just had a nightmare until you woke me up."  
Matori furrowed her brow, noticing that he was still in his regular clothes. She decided not to press the matter any further and said, "Alright. I'll let you get back to sleep."  
"Thank you," Markenel said. "Good night, Matori."  
"Good night, Minister," Matori said.  
Markenel closed the door and stood still for a moment before turning back to the painting. He hoped that Maria would come out from the portrait again with Matori gone, but nothing happened. Markenel wished she could bless him with her company a little longer, but he dismissed his disappointment, figuring nothing more needed to be said. He picked up Serena's scarf and gave it one more sniff before he walked over to the window and looked at the city with a grin, confident that the holy one was on his side.


	10. Chapter 10

It was early the next morning in the city square, and the sky was covered in gray clouds. Giovanni, Persian, Ash, and Pikachu were standing in front of four lines of soldiers, including Butch and Cassidy, holding their spears in the middle of the square with their Pokemon beside them. Ash and Pikachu felt upbeat with Serena and Sylveon no longer stuck inside Lumiose Cathedral, while Giovanni was still in a foul mood. The soldiers waited until they spotted Markenel heading toward them on his Rapidash. The captain ordered, "'Tension," and they all saluted just as Markenel stopped his steed in front of them, smirking.   
"Good morning, sir," Ash greeted.   
"It is indeed a good morning, Lieutenant," Markenel chirped.   
Giovanni, Persian, Ash, and Pikachu looked at each other, confused with the judge's energy and praise for the cloudy day.  
"Are you feeling alright, sir?" Giovanni asked.  
"Never better, Captain Giovanni," Markenel replied. "Today is going to be a day of purification."  
"Purification, sir?" Ash asked.   
Markenel reached into his robes and took out a scroll, saying, "The time has come for us to search for the fugitive, Serena and her Pokemon. I have with me leads to citizens potentially hiding Arceans. We are to investigate and arrest them and any Arceans they are hiding."  
Ash and Pikachu frowned, and the former asked, "Do we have warrants to do that?"  
"There is no need for warrants," Markenel said. "This mission is blessed by the Lord himself, who is above our human means of justice. There will be no rest until the fugitive, and her Pokemon are found."  
Ash and Pikachu became ill at ease with the justice minister's claim while Giovanni grinned. Whether Markenel was telling the truth, he did not care. All that mattered to the captain was that Markenel gave him free rein to do whatever he desired with no legal limitations.   
"That is splendid to hear, Your Honor," he said. "With such a blessing, I believe we will capture that Arcean she-demon in no time."  
"That's the spirit, Captain," Markenel said. "Now, follow me."  
"You heard him, soldiers. Move out," Giovanni ordered.   
"Sir!" Ash, Butch, Cassidy, and the rest of the soldiers said.  
Thus, everyone followed Markenel down the street to their first destination. Ash and Pikachu's unease grew as the raven-haired man reluctantly marched with his partner on his shoulder. Citizens and their Pokemon moved away from the judge and his minions, afraid of the dark presence they felt around them. Finally, Markenel stopped in front of a bakery and held his hand up for his soldiers to halt.  
"We will start here," he said.  
"You think there are Arceans inside the bakery, sir?" Ash asked.   
"I know there are," Markenel answered. "There have been rumors of sympathizers who will sell food to the Arceans, and it's time to find out if they have been hiding them too."  
"Agreed," Giovanni said before turning to Ash. "Lieutenant, you and I will take the lead. When I break the door open, Persian and Pikachu will charge in and stop anyone inside from trying anything funny while we search the place."  
"Yes, sir," Ash said before sadly turning to Pikachu and whispered. "Sorry, buddy. I don't see a way around this."  
"Pika," Pikachu said with its ears down.   
The mouse Pokemon hopped off Ash's shoulder and stood next to Persian, who readied its claws with a sinister grin. Giovanni and Ash drew their swords, and the former took a moment to prepare himself before he broke the door open with a powerful kick. A woman inside the shop with maroon hair in baking clothes gasped as she and her Vuplix had only a moment to react before Persian and Pikachu raced toward them and held them back with Persian's jewel glowing and sparks coming out of Pikachu's cheeks. Giovanni and Ash went in with five other soldiers and began searching the shop.  
"What is the meaning of this?" The baker asked.   
"Your shop is under inspection," Giovanni said. "Stay where you are. Failure to comply will result in an immediate arrest."  
The baker and her Vuplix stood in fear as soldiers knocked down cupboards, cabinets, and tables of bread and pastries. Ash pretended to be looking, hoping that they wouldn't find anything, but his hopes were dashed when he heard Butch calling out to Giovanni.   
"Sir, I found something!"   
The blood drained from the baker and Vulpix's faces as Giovanni and Ash turned their head to find Butch moving a barrel away from a mat lying down under it. Giovanni grinned and walked over to take the carpet off to reveal a secret door on the floor.  
"Ah, how clever," Giovanni said.  
He pulled the handle up, and the door opened to reveal a secret room of Arceans and their small Pokemon. The Arceans gasped and screamed as soldiers went inside to grab them and drag them out of the secret door. Giovanni grabbed the baker by the wrist and pulled her out of the shop. Persian grabbed Vulpix with its mouth and followed its master outside. Ash and Pikachu followed behind as Giovanni, and the other soldiers put the people in chains and the Pokemon in cages. They forced the prisoners to stand in a line, where Markenel waited for them on his Rapidash.  
"My, my, my, what a catch already," Markenel whispered to himself before speaking to his prisoners out loud. "You are under arrest for crimes against the state, including, but not limited to, entering Lumiose City illegally, partaking in pagan practices, and hiding illegal immigrants. The penalties for all of these charges are imprisonment and if deemed necessary, thrashings." He reached into his pouch strapped around his waist, took out ten silver coins, and held them out to the baker and the Arceans. "However, if any of you tell me where the Arcean woman, Serena, and her Sylveon are, I will let that person and their Pokemon go with ten pieces of silver."  
The judge waited for the baker and the Arceans to say something, but no one said a word. Some of them and their Pokemon were afraid of going to prison, but they had no idea where Serena could be, while others just glared at Markenel, refusing to be intimidated. People and Pokemon on the street hid as they watched what was happening, while some ran away.   
"Sir, is the minister really going to let one of them free if they talk?" Cassidy whispered, standing behind Giovanni.  
"I doubt it," Giovanni said, smirking.   
Markenel waited another minute for good measure before he accepted that no one was going to talk. He put the silver back in his pouch and said, "Captain Giovanni, lock them up."  
"With pleasure," Giovanni said before turning to several of his soldiers. "Take these criminals to the dungeon and report back to the square."  
"Yes, sir!" The soldiers replied.   
The soldiers grabbed the people by the arms, picked up the cages of Pokemon, and began making their way back to the Palace of Justice. Citizens and their Pokemon backed away and hid from the soldiers escorting their prisoners, afraid that they could be arrested too. Markenel smirked, taking sadistic pleasure in what was happening until he noticed a wagon moving across the street from the corner of his eye. The wagon was being pulled by two Ponyta with a young man carrying the reins and his wife sitting beside him. The wife noticed Markenel from a distance, and her serene smile immediately disappeared. She whispered into her beloved's ear, and he immediately felt a prick of fear. He ordered the Ponyta to move faster, but the action was all Markenel needed.  
"Captain, stop that wagon!" He commanded.   
Giovanni nodded and turned to Persian and Pikachu and the other soldier's Pokemon, shouting, "After it!"  
Persian and the other Pokemon immediately sprung into action while Pikachu hesitated before it followed behind. They raced toward the wagon until they were standing in front of the Ponyta, threatening to attack. The Ponyta panicked and stood up from their hind legs, giving Markenel and his soldiers the time they needed to catch up. Butch, Cassidy, and a few other soldiers pointed their spears at the couple, who held their hands up.  
"W-w-what's going on?" The man asked.   
"Don't play innocent with me," Markenel said. "Search the wagon!"  
Three more soldiers opened the back door to the wagon and tossed crates of supplies until they saw a stout Arcean man holding his wife and two children on their knees and a Mime Jr standing in front of them. The Mime Jr. prepared to use Psychic against the soldiers before a soldier's Ninjask flew inside the wagon and hit it with Fury Cutter. The Ninjask's partner stuffed it onto a cramped cage, and the rest of the soldiers tore the family away with the wife and children kicking and screaming. Butch and Cassidy dragged the young couple off the wagon and cuffed them while four more soldiers grabbed the Ponyta by the reins before they could escape and tied ropes around their muzzles. The soldiers lined their captives up in front of Markenel just like before, and the old man on the Rapidash took out the silver again.   
"Ten pieces of silver for the Arcean, Serena, and her Sylveon," he said. "Anyone who gives their location will go free with ten pieces of silver.”  
Once again, the prisoners refused to speak. The children were fighting the urge to cry, and the young woman wanted to hold her husband's arm for comfort. Markenel grew impatient and took out more money from his pouch.  
"Very well, how about twenty pieces of silver?" He asked."Come now, I'm offering you freedom. Surely one of you is willing to trade one person and her Pokemon's life for your own."  
But instead of saying a word, the Arcean man spat on the ground in front of Markenel. Markenel glared daggers at the man, repulsed by his act of bravery, and put the money back in his pouch.  
"Take them away," he commanded. "And make sure they each get separate cells."   
The soldiers took their captives and began dragging them away. The children kicked and screamed for their parents, the mother crying for her children, the father threatening the soldiers not to harm them, and the young couple begging not to be separated from each other. The Mime Jr. and the Ponyta were being taken away behind them. Ash and Pikachu's hearts grew heavy as they watched, and Markenel moved his Rapidash in front of the raven-haired man, smirking again.  
"Not a bad beginning, is it, Lieutenant?" He said.  
"Oh, yeah. Not bad at all," Ash replied with a forced grin.   
Markenel's smirk grew, and he said, "Let us move on. We have much more ground to cover, and our little wagon of criminals kept us from our next target long enough."  
"Sir, yes, sir," Ash said.  
The judge walked ahead on his steed, and Giovanni, Persian, Butch, and Cassidy, and the other soldiers and Pokemon followed. Ash's fake grin disappeared as soon as no one was looking, and he looked down to see Pikachu worried.   
"Pika," It said glumly.  
"I know, Pikachu," Ash said. "What Minister Markenel is doing is cruel, and what's worse is he's claiming that God is giving him permission to do this.”   
"Pikachu?" Pikachu asked.  
"I don't know what we're going to do," Ash said. "I hope we somehow don't find any more of Serena and Sylveon's people and Pokemon, or that they will be caught for that matter. Maybe Minister Markenel will see that he's in the wrong somehow."  
"Pikachu," Pikachu said with its ears hanging low again.  
"Lieutenant, get over here!" Giovanni shouted from a distance.  
"Yes, sir!" Ash said.  
Pikachu hopped back onto Ash's shoulder, and its partner ran to catch up. As they returned to Giovanni's side, the raven-haired soldier whispered a prayer that the hunt would end, but deep in his heart, he knew that the judge wouldn't back down and that it was only the beginning.

************************************************************************************************************************

For the next several hours, Markenel and his troops continued to raid on Lumiose City citizens. One by one, they broke into shops and homes and arrested any Arceans and their Pokemon along with their sympathizers. Some places weren’t hiding any Arceans, and the judge and his forces simply left without a word. Markenel continued to try and bribe his convicts to tell him where Serena was, but still, no one would talk. He grew restless as he was running low on leads as it appeared likely that Serena was hiding in the Court of Miracles.  
Finally, Markenel and his force were at their last lead. Four miles away from the city walls, a small miller farm, where the house and the windmill were merged into one building. The gray sky had grown darker, for it was almost evening. Many farmers and other citizens gathered near the miller farm, whispering among themselves as soldiers and their partners stood in front of the building with Markenel, Giovanni, Persian, and two soldiers had let themselves in.  
"Poor Karsten and Joy," an old man said.  
"Why are they doing this?" A woman asked. "They have never harmed anyone."  
"I hear the justice minister has been purging people all over the city," another man said.  
"Markenel's gone mad," a third man said.  
"I hope they don't harm the girls," a second woman said. "Marnie and Paige must be scared to death."  
Meanwhile, amid the crowd, Serena, Sylveon, Miette, and Slurpuff were watching in secret. Miette was disguised as bearded old men in a brown hood and cloak, while Serena and Sylveon disguised themselves as slouching old man with Sylveon pretending to be the head again. The blunette looked at all of the soldiers on the property and grew unsettled.   
"We should get out of here, Serena. It's not safe," she whispered.   
"I can't," Serena whispered back. "Karsten and his family took Sylveon in and me before we entered the city. I won't leave until we know they're okay."  
"Serena, no one targeted by Markenel is going to be okay," Miette said. "They're hunting down anyone associated with us, and if we're not careful, they might find us here."  
"We're not going to abandon them," Serena said.   
"Sylveon," Sylveon agreed.   
Miette became more nervous with her friend's refusal to leave. She turned to Slurpuff, who shared her feeling of dread before turning back to the scene. Miette then noticed Ash and Pikachu standing guard in front of the entrance to the house and pointed her finger, asking, "Serena, isn't that the guy you were talking about last night?"  
Serena and Sylveon looked where she was pointing, and their hearts skipped a beat at the sight of the raven-haired soldier and his partner. For a brief moment, they smiled before they looked closely and saw the looks of dread on Ash and Pikachu's faces that they were hiding from the other soldiers. It was painfully clear to Serena and Sylveon that the lieutenant and the mouse Pokemon were tormented by what they have been ordered to do throughout the day. The honey blonde woman wanted to hold Ash, and Sylveon wanted to wrap its feelers around Pikachu, but they knew they could do nothing to comfort them.   
Meanwhile, inside the house, Markenel, Giovanni, and Persian surrounded a heavyset man with short brown hair. Two soldiers were pointing their spears at an Ampharos and a woman with two little girls, all three with pink hair. The man was on his knees in front of Markenel, who was interrogating him while holding a necklace carrying the gold wheel of Arceus.   
"This Arcean necklace was found in your property," Markenel said. "Have you been harboring Arceans?"  
"Our home is always open to the weary traveler, Your Honor," the fat man named Karsten replied, trying to hide his fear of the judge.   
"You do know that Arceans come to the country to come into Lumiose City illegally, do you not?" Markenel questioned.   
"We do not ask about the business of our guests, Your Honor," Karsten answered. "We treat them with kindness and compassion no matter who they are, just as the Lord commanded."  
Markenel scowled, disgusted by the way Karsten used the Lord to justify his deeds, and said, "Is that so? Very well. I'm placing you and your family under house arrest until I get the bottom of this. If what you're saying is true and you are innocent, then you have nothing to fear."  
Karsten's wife Joy, and their daughters, Marnie and Paige, began to tremble as the soldiers left the house with their spears still aiming at them and the Ampharos. Karsten's heart sank, and he stood up while Markenel, Giovanni, and Persian exited.  
"Your Honor, please see reason," he pleaded. "My family and I are innocent. I assure you, we don't partake in any illegal activity with the Arceans."  
The miller farmer took a step to his front door before Persian threatened him to back away with his claws and a sharp hiss. Markenel closed the door in front of Karsten and took one of the soldier's spears to put it between the door handles to keep the family from getting out. He then took a torch from one of the guards and held it out to Ash, who was standing beside the entrance with a concerned look.   
"Burn it," Markenel ordered.  
"What?!" Ash shouted.   
"Pika?!" Pikachu shouted beside its partner.  
"Until this place smolders, these people and their Pokemon are traitors and must be made examples of," Markenel said.   
"With all due respect, sir, I was not trained to kill the innocent," Ash said.  
"But you were trained to follow orders, Lieutenant," Giovanni pointed out with a warning tone in his voice. "Now do as the minister commands."  
Ash furrowed his brow and turned to Pikachu. The soldier and his partner silently agreed that the line was crossed and knew what had to be done. Ash took the torch from Markenel and looked around until he saw a barrel of water. He stared at the judge and his father as he tossed the torch into the water, and his superiors glowered at him.  
"You insolent coward," Markenel growled.   
"I'm not the coward who can't treat people fairly like a mature human being," Ash said.   
Markenel's anger grew, and he signaled three of his soldiers to hold their spears toward Ash and Pikachu. He got on his Rapidash, took another torch from one of the soldiers, and held it up to the tip of one of the spinning windmill sails. The sail instantly caught fire, and within seconds, the house and the windmill were set ablaze. The crowd gasped, and Serena covered her mouth with her hand as she, Miette, Sylveon, and Slurpuff watched in horror. One of the sails broke loose, forcing Ash, Pikachu, and the soldiers guarding them move away before the blade fell on top of them. The raven-haired man heard the screams coming from inside, and he held out his arms to Pikachu for it to hop onto his shoulder before he jumped through the window into the burning house.  
"Ash!" Serena cried out.  
"Sylveon!" Sylveon shouted.   
With Sylveon still wrapped around her back, Serena took a step to run toward the farm, but Miette grabbed her by the waist to hold her back.  
"Let me go!" Serena screamed. "We have to save them!"  
"There's nothing we can do!" Miette shouted. "If you go after them, they'll catch you, and there's no way we can get to them in time!"  
Serena tried to break free from her friend until she reluctantly accepted that she was right. Sylveon whimpered yearning to help Pikachu. The honey blonde woman's mouth quivered, and she clasped her hands together in prayer. Whether to Arceus or God, Serena couldn't decide, nor did she care as long as one of them would protect Ash, Pikachu, and the family.   
Finally, the house's door broke to pieces, revealing Pikachu using Iron Tail from the other side. The mouse Pokemon rushed out of the building, followed by Ash holding Marnie and Paige in his arms, and Karsten, Joy, and Ampharos running behind. They ran past Markenel and the soldiers until they were thirty yards away from the house just before it collapsed. The citizens cheered, and Serena and Sylveon sighed in relief as Ash handed Marnie and Paige to Karsten and Joy.  
"Lord bless you, sir," Joy said with tears in her eyes.  
"How can we repay you?" Karsten asked.  
"Don't worry about that," Ash said. "Just get out of here and find a place to hide."  
Karsten and Joy nodded and ran away with their children and Ampharos running behind. Ash and Pikachu turned to each other and smile until Ash felt the bottom of Butch's sword hit the top of his head. He fell down on his front, and Pikachu only had a moment before Persian pounced on it and held it to the ground with its paw on the mouse Pokemon's neck. Butch held his sword to Ash's neck while Cassidy took out her sword and held it to Pikachu's neck. Markenel moved his Rapidash until they were standing in front of them, with Giovanni standing beside his superior.  
"The penalty for insubordination is death," Markenel announced. "Such a pity, Lieutenant. You threw away a promising career."  
"Consider it my and Pikachu's highest honor, sir," Ash said, looking up at Markenel with no fear in his eyes.   
"I won't," Markenel said before turning to Giovanni. "Anything to say to your son before his execution, Captain?"  
Giovanni looked down at Ash with a cold, condescending look in his black eyes and said, "I have no son."  
Markenel smirked, satisfied with Giovanni's answer, and raised his hand for Butch and Cassidy to raise their swords. Ash and Pikachu looked at each other with sad smiles, silently telling each other goodbye. Serena frowned and had Sylveon get off her back before they sneaked through the crowd until they were several yards behind Markenel. Serena took out a rock and pointed at Rapidash. Sylveon nodded and, with one of its feelers, took the stone and threw it like a sling.   
The rock hit Rapidash in the flank, and with a loud neigh, it went up on hind legs, making Markenel fall off. With Butch, Cassidy, Giovanni, and Persian distracted, Ash sprung up and punched Butch and Cassidy in the face while Pikachu used Thundershock to free itself from Persian. Giovanni began to draw his sword before he was interrupted by Pikachu jumping up and hitting him in the face with Iron Tail. The mouse Pokemon hopped onto Ash's shoulder before he got on Rapidash and began riding away. The citizens screamed and cheered for the heroes.  
"Fly, Ash! Fly!" Serena shouted amid the cheering.   
"Sylveon!" Sylveon shouted.  
Markenel clenched his teeth and turned to his soldiers with bows and arrows, yelling, "Get him and don't hit my Rapidash!"  
The archers released a volley of arrows at Ash and Pikachu, but none of them reached them. Serena and Sylveon beamed as it looked like they were going to escape. Unfortunately, Giovanni looked at Ash and Pikachu fleeing with a bloodthirsty look in his pitch-black eyes. He snatched a bow and arrow from one of the archers and aimed the arrow high. The captain aimed and waited for the right moment before firing just as Ash was crossing a stone bridge. The arrow zoomed high into the air and pierced through Ash just a few inches away from his heart. Pikachu screamed as they fell off Rapidash and into the river down below.   
Miette and the citizens gasped and screamed so loud that Markenel and the soldiers couldn't hear Serena yell "No" and Sylveon crying out to Pikachu again. The archers ran over to the bridge and began firing at the lake until Giovanni halted them.  
"Don't waste your arrows," he commanded. "Let the traitors rot in their watery grave."  
The archers stopped firing just as Markenel, Persian, Butch, Cassidy, and the rest of the troops with their Pokemon caught up with them. One of the archers helped Markenel back on his Rapidash, and the judge turned to Giovanni, who was standing beside his steed.  
"What do we do now, Minister Markenel?" Giovanni asked. "That miller was our last lead."  
"We return to the city and continue finding the woman," Markenel answered. "Leave no place unturned. If we have to burn all of Lumiose City to the ground, then so be it."  
"Understood," Giovanni said before turning to his soldiers. "Form up and move out!"  
"Yes, sir!" Butch, Cassidy, and the other soldiers replied.  
The troops formed into two lines with their partners standing beside them and followed Markenel back to the city with Giovanni and Persian taking point. When their enemies were far enough, Serena, Sylveon, Miette, and Slurpuff came out of their hiding place inside the crowd and ran down the slope to the river just in time to see Pikachu emerge from the water.  
"Sylveon!" Sylveon cried out.  
"Pika! Pika, Pika, Pika!" Pikachu shouted, pointing down below it.   
"What is it doing?" Miette asked.   
"It's saying that Ash is down there," Serena said.  
Without another word, Serena jumped into the water and swam over to where Pikachu was. The mouse Pokemon dived down, and Serena quickly followed to find Ash at the bottom with the arrow still through him. Serena tried to lift him up, but the armor was too heavy. She went up the surface to take another breath before she dived back down, broke off both ends of the arrow, and took off Ash's armor. She lifted him up to the surface and swam toward the shore with Pikachu until Slurpuff lifted them up in the air and laid them down on the shore using Psychic. Miette handed Serena a long piece of cloth, and the honey blonde woman wrapped it tightly around Ash's wound. She pressed her ear against Ash's chest and could faintly hear him breathing.   
"He's still alive," she said.   
"Pikachu," Pikachu sighed in relief.   
"He won't be for long unless we do something to really fix that wound," Miette said.  
"We need to find a place to hide him and treat his wound," Serena said.  
"But where?" Miette asked. "The Court of Miracles is too far away, and Markenel is probably going to find all of our other hideouts in the city."  
Serena's heart began to sink, realizing Miette's point. She turned to Pikachu, who was staring at Ash's face, scared for its friend's life while Sylveon stood beside it. She then turned to Lumiose City’s walls, struggling to think of something until her mind was on Timothy and Lumiose Cathedral.  
"I know where we can go."


	11. Chapter 11

The night sky was covered in a blanket of smoke. By Markenel's command, Giovanni, his soldiers, and their Pokemon raided homes and businesses all over Lumiose City. On occasion, they would find Arceans and their Pokemon hiding in someone's home or shop, but most were found to not be hiding anyone. Some places that were found empty did not satisfy the justice minister, so he forced the civilians out of their homes and had the soldiers burn their homes to the ground. By the time they had gone through the city, there wasn't a sector that didn't have a couple dozen or so buildings set ablaze.   
Lumiose Cathedral's bells were ringing for the evening mass as Markenel, Giovanni, Persian, and a squadron of soldiers and their Pokemon were searching a blacksmith shop. The blacksmith was a tall, well-built man in his fifties with brown eyes, brown hair, and a beard. Beside him was a scrawny man in his mid-twenties with blue eyes, messy medium-length bright yellow hair with a lightning-bolt shaped tuft on top, and a girl in her late teens with shiny golden-blonde hair tied in a side ponytail with an orange band, and sky blue eyes. Beside the younger man was a Bunnelby, and a Dedenne stood on the girl's shoulder. The five of them watched helplessly with weapons pointing at them as the soldiers searched their home, destroying anything on sight. Eventually, the soldiers came outside to salute Markenel and Giovanni with a female soldier with blond hair in pigtails reporting.  
"Sir, there's no sign of any Arcean hiding here," she said.  
"Are you sure, Domino?" Giovanni asked.  
"I searched the place four times to make sure," Domino replied.   
"Very well," Giovanni said before turning to Markenel. "Your orders, sir?"  
"There's no guarantee the blacksmith doesn't have a hiding place so good that we can't find it," Markenel said. "Burn it to the ground."  
"No!" The girl cried out. She tried to run to the house in a vain attempt to protect it, but the young man wrapped his arms around her to hold her back.  
"Bonnie, stop. There's nothing we can do," he said.  
Two soldiers turned to their Pyroar and Turtonator and ordered them to use Flamethrower on the shop. Within half a minute, the entire building caught fire, and the family could do nothing but hold each other close as the girl cried and her father and brother fought the tears in their eyes. Giovanni watched them with a twisted grin while Markenel watched their home burn, imagining Arceans and their Pokemon burning inside.   
The judge and the captain's moment of entertainment were interrupted by Butch, Cassidy, and a dozen other soldiers marching to meet them. Markenel furrowed his brow to find that they didn't have Serena, Sylveon, or any other Arceans and Pokemon in chains or cages.   
"Sir, we've searched everywhere in the north sector and found no sign of the Arcean woman or her Pokemon," Butch said.  
Giovanni sighed and said, "That's the last area we hadn't checked. What now, Minister Markenel?"  
Markenel's frown deepened. He looked down in thought and said to himself, "How could this have happened? I had the entire cathedral surrounded by guards at every door. There was no way she could have escaped. The scouts should have found her when they searched the entire cathedral except for -"  
His eyes widened slightly as the answer became clear. He looked up to where he could see Lumiose Cathedral from a distance, where Timothy was still ringing the bells at the north tower.

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Up at the tower, Shockwave and Odyssey were inside the room under the bells, from the rectangular window. The Kirlia and the Riolu were crestfallen as they looked from the rectangular window families helplessly watch their homes burn to ashes.   
On the table where Timothy kept his city model, there was an untouched plate of bread and cheese and a goblet of wine. Archdeacon Sycamore had Timothy's meals sent to him by one of the monks when it became clear that Markenel was not coming to feed his adopted son, but when he heard from the monk what the judge was doing, Timothy couldn't eat his supper. Electchu entered the room and walked over to its friends. It hopped onto the window ledge, and it flinched at the sight of the burning city.   
"How's Timothy?" Odyssey asked.   
"Still not great. He'll probably be done ringing the bells soon," Electchu said. "Are the soldiers still at it?"  
Shockwave sighed and said, "We don't know. All we can see is people and Pokemon having their homes raided or destroyed."  
Electchu sighed and said, "I was afraid of that."  
"Oh, it's hopeless," Odyssey said with its voice filled with dread. "At this rate, I'm beginning to fear the worst for Serena and Sylveon."  
"Maybe, but we can't say anything like that to Timothy. He's worried enough as it is," Shockwave said.  
"Yeah, you're right. When he comes in, we should lighten the mood," Electchu said.  
"But how are we going to do that?" Odyssey protested. "Master Markenel is searching the entire city looking for the woman our friend likes."  
"We're just gonna have to stay positive," Shockwave said. "We just need to encourage Timothy into thinking Master Markenel hasn’t found Serena."  
Odyssey's mouth quivered, unsure that it could follow along with Shockwave's idea. Its fear grew when it heard the bells stop ringing and Timothy making his way down to the room. Odyssey turned to Shockwave, who mouthed out, "Not a word," before it and Electchu faced forward at the window. The Riolu's body shook as it heard Timothy enter the room and walk over to his friends.   
"Any sign of her?" Timothy asked.   
Immediately, Odyssey wailed hysterically with its head up and its hands in the air, catching everyone off balance.   
"Oh, it's a lost cause!" It howled. "She could be in the stocks, or the dungeon, or on the rack!"  
Odyssey used Timothy's sleeve as a handkerchief as it cried. Timothy's heart sank, and he looked out at the city, feeling in more suspense. Shockwave facepalmed and groaned, wishing it could use Psychic to strangle Odyssey. Electchu's ears hung low, and it looked down in the ground in thought until it thought of an idea.  
"Don't be silly, Odyssey," the mouse Pokemon said, catching everyone's attention. "If I know Serena, she's three steps ahead of Master Markenel and well out of harm's way. "  
"What makes you so sure?" Timothy asked.   
"The way I look at it, she and her oh-so-beautiful Sylveon were smart enough to escape from him once at the Feast of Fools using parlor tricks no matter how many soldiers surrounded them," Electchu answered confidently. "Those two are probably still hiding in the Court of Miracles until this thing blows over, and when it does, Serena will be back to see you again."  
"You really think she will?" Timothy asked with a hint of hope in his voice.   
Electchu smirked and whispered to Shockwave, "Play along." It took a second before the Kirlia understood what its friend was thinking and turned to Timothy with a bright smile.  
"Yeah, Electchu's right," Shockwave said. "Serena did say that she will come visit you. Didn't she?"  
Timothy took a second to think about it before looking out the window with the left side of his mouth starting to curl.   
"Yeah, she did," he admitted.   
Shockwave used the moment of Timothy looking away from the Pokemon to whisper into Odyssey's ear. The emanation Pokémon's face lit up, realizing its opportunity to redeem itself, and joined in.  
"And did she not want you to come with her to the Court of Miracles?" Odyssey asked.   
"She...did," Timothy admitted.   
"Well, there you go," Electchu said. "And heck, Serena did say all of that, knowing it would mean leaving her hideout to sneak her way up here despite being a fugitive and all, so she clearly sees you as someone worth risking herself for."  
The small hint of a smile on Timothy's face melted into a frown, and he turned to his friends, saying, "Come on, guys. Be serious. Why would I be considered worth risking herself for?"  
"Because she already did it once at the festival," Electchu said.   
"And because you're her hero who helped her and her Pokemon partner escape so that she could go back to her home," Odyssey said. "She kissed you for crying out loud."  
"On the cheek," Timothy said.  
"That's still a clear sign that she likes you," Shockwave said. "Seriously, Timothy, we were here when Serena and Sylveon were up here. That woman has never known anyone like you, and she rightfully enjoyed learning so much about you last night. I mean, come on. Serena liked your sculptures, that you can understand us, you introduced her to the bells, and she didn't think less of you when you told her about your relationship with Master Markenel."  
"Exactly," Electchu said before it climbed up on Timothy and stood on his head. "Wake up and smell the flowers, buddy. No matter how you look at it, that woman really cares about you. Why I don't think it would be too shabby to think, she could be falling in love with you."  
The hunchback's face turned barn red, and he looked down at the floor, almost making Electchu fall off his head.  
"L-l-love?" Timothy stuttered. "Serena could be falling in love with me?"  
"If she hasn't completely fallen in love already," Electchu claimed.   
"But even if that's true, how could Serena hope to have a future with me?" Timothy asked. "She may not think less of me for being Master Markenel's son, but if he found out about us, he'd be furious, and that's not taking into account that Serena doesn't want to stay here forever."   
"Timothy, she said she'll come after sunset, which is long after Master Markenel comes to feed you supper. There's no way he could catch you two," Odyssey said, taking Timothy's left hand. "And besides, it's like Shockwave said yesterday: Master Markenel won't be here forever, so when he passes, Serena can come here whenever she wants, and you two could think about the future together. Right, Shockwave?"  
"Right as rain," Shockwave agreed, holding the hunchback's right hand. "It might not be easy, but as far as we're concerned, Serena is probably willing to face anything with you, Timothy. Don't you want that? You, Serena, together?"  
Timothy's face turned maroon, and he was silent for a moment before he lifted his head and said, "Y-y-yes, I would. I care about Serena, and I would like to make her happy. If she feels that way about me, I do want us to be together."  
"Well then, you must show it to her," Electchu said. "Make every time she comes to see you meaningful for her, and when she wants to take things to the next level, don't let her go."  
With the last word of advice, Timothy's face lit up, and his heart began to race. The hunchback turned to him and Serena's figures and imagined spending time with her as a couple. The more he thought about it, the more he believed that what the Pokemon said would inevitably happen.   
"You're right, Electchu. Serena probably does like me, and I like her too," he said. "The next time she comes, I'll do everything I can to make her time with me just as good if not better than last night, and I'll continue to do so every time she comes until we both fall in love."  
Electchu, Shockwave, and Odyssey cheered, with Electchu jumping up and down on Timothy's head. The beaming hunchback moved the figures of him and Serena closer and started to think about when he would see her again. The Pokemon shook each other's hands, silently congratulating each other for lifting up their friend's spirit.   
Just then, their moment was interrupted by the sound of the entrance door to the north tower opening downstairs.  
"Timothy?" They heard Serena call out. "Timothy, are you in there?"   
Timothy's heart skipped a beat at the sound of her voice. He rushed out of the room and went down the steps to find the honey blonde woman standing at the entrance. Serena smiled to see the hunchback running over to her and walked over to hug him.   
"Serena, I knew you'd come back!" Timothy exclaimed. "I'm so happy you're safe!"  
Serena broke the hug to give Timothy a sweet look for him being so caring. Her smile then softened, and she put Timothy's hands together with her hands.  
"You've done so much for me, my friend," she said. "But I must ask for your help one more time."  
"Yes. Anything," Timothy said without missing a beat.   
Serena let go of his hands and went outside for a moment. Timothy, Electchu, Shockwave, and Odyssey grew excited that he got another chance to spend time with his crush until Serena returned with her and Miette carrying Ash with his arms around their shoulders, followed by Pikachu, Sylveon, and Slurpuff. Ash was still unconscious, and the cloth wrapped around both sides of his wound had turned red under his shirt. The blunette woman was unsettled with seeing the hunchback again, but she kept it to herself.   
"This is Ash," Serena said. "He's wounded and a fugitive like me. He can't go on much longer, we have nowhere else to go, and I knew he would be safe here. Please, can you hide him?"  
The woman Timothy admired gave him a pleading look that worried him. The fear and desperation in her ocean blue eyes made him wonder what was her relationship with the injured man until Odyssey elbowed Timothy to snap him out of his train of thought to remind him of the matter at hand. The hunchback gestured to the two women to follow him, and he brought them back up the room. Timothy took out the tablecloth from the cabinet and laid it down on the floor for Serena and Miette to lay Ash down. Serena took off her cloak, rolled it up, and put it under Ash's head just as his eyes opened and met hers.  
"Serena…" he said.  
"Shhh. Don't talk," Serena said. "You're gonna stay here until you're strong enough to move."  
Pikachu walked over to lick its partner on the cheek, and Ash gave it a weak smile. Sylveon stood beside Pikachu and nudged the mouse Pokemon with its head, hoping it would soothe Pikachu's nerves. Electchu tilted its head at the intertwining Pokemon's action while Serena gently took off Ash's shirt and turned to Timothy.   
"Do you have any water we can use to clean the wound?" She asked.   
"I have some wine," he said.  
"That will work," Serena said.  
Timothy walked over to the table, where his dinner was still untouched and took the goblet of wine. He walked back and handed it to Serena, who unwrapped the cloth covering Ash's wounds.   
"This might hurt a little," she warned.   
Ash gave a little grin at how Serena used his words from when they first met. Serena and Miette carefully moved Ash to his side and the former poured wine on his wounds. Ash clenched his teeth, fighting the urge to scream from the pain.   
"Well, that hurt," he groaned. "Feels like a 1470 Nacrene City. Not a good year."  
Serena chuckled at his joke while Miette stitched the hole on his back. When she finished, the women put Ash back on his back, and Miette gave Serena the thread and needle. Miette, Slurpuff, Pikachu, Sylveon, Timothy, Electchu, Shockwave, and Odyssey silently watched Serena stitch the front wound while Ash turned to look at her again.  
"Serena, listen," he said.  
"Don't talk right now, Ash," Serena said, her eyes focused on the hole.   
"I'm sorry that I got you and Sylveon trapped in the cathedral," Ash said.   
"Don't worry about it," Serena said. "You and Pikachu were just trying to protect us."  
"No. That's not true," Ash said, shaking his head. "We didn't do it just to keep you from being arrested. The truth is I have feelings for you, and Pikachu has feelings for Sylveon."  
Serena stopped stitching to finally look at the raven-haired man, surprised with her cheeks heating up. Sylveon turned its head to Pikachu, who scratched the back of its head and looked away bashfully.   
"You are the most beautiful woman I have ever seen, and I admire your passion for dancing and conviction to help others and make them smile," Ash confessed. "That more than anything else influenced me to keep you from being arrested. I didn't think about how it could have kept you and your Pokemon from returning to your home. From your people and Pokemon." He frowned and turned his head away from Serena, feeling unworthy to look at her. "If you don't feel the same and you and Sylveon despise me and Pikachu for what we have done, I understand."  
Serena stared at the raven-haired man, shocked yet touched by his confession. Miette and Slurpuff looked at each other, dumbfounded that one of Markenel's soldiers would say those things to their friend. Pikachu continued to look away from Sylveon, sharing the shame its partner felt. After several seconds, Serena's shock turned into a sweet smile.  
"I don't despise you, Ash," she said.  
"Are you sure?" Ash asked. "I arrested so many of your people and Pokemon along with everyone who sympathizes with the Arceans."  
"You had no other choice," Serena said. "Besides, you saved Karsten and his family even though Markenel and your father told you to kill them. They owe you their lives. You and Pikachu didn't even show fear when you went inside their burning house or when they were about to execute you. I’ve don’t anyone who would do something so brave. I don't know what we'll do for everyone who's imprisoned, but as far as I'm concerned, you stood up for justice when it mattered most."  
Ash turned his head, and stared at her, amazed that she would praise him despite what he and Pikachu had done. Serena took his silence to finish stitching up his wound. After cutting the thread with her teeth, she looked at Ash again with another smile for a moment before she gave a concerned look.   
"Are you going to be alright, no longer being a soldier?" She asked.   
Ash frowned and looked away from Serena again.   
"I'll get over it eventually, but it's still hard to believe things have gone this far," he said. "All of our years of service, and it was to a system that ignores parts of the law and would murder people and Pokemon for virtually nothing. Not to mention, my father disowned me just for standing up for what is right. I don't know what we'll do, but at least Pikachu and I have each other."  
Serena smiled and put her hand on Ash's cheek to turn his head to her. She leaned her head to him until their noses were touching, staring intensely into his brown eyes.  
"Pikachu's not the only one you have," she said.  
Serena leaned her head closer without another word, and Ash lifted his head until their lips met. Serena began caressing Ash's cheek while putting his hand on the back of her head as they kissed. Miette covered her mouth with both hands while Slurpuff's mouth hung open. Pikachu watched Ash and Serena with its ears perked up until it felt Sylveon lick it on the cheek. The mouse Pokemon turned to Sylveon, who gave it a loving look, and its yellow face turned as red as its cheeks. Sylveon took things a step further by wrapping one of its feelers around Pikachu and began nuzzling it. It took a moment before Pikachu smiled and returned the affection.   
Timothy, on the other hand, watched Ash and Serena kiss each other, devastated. He stepped away until his back was against the wall, his eyes began to water, and his mouth quivered as he felt his heart break. He shut his eyes and walked away to the window. Electchu, Shockwave, and Odyssey watched him rest his arms against the ledge and quietly sob with his arms covering his face. The three Pokemon's hearts broke for their friend. Electchu didn't care that Sylveon chose another Pokemon. It felt nothing but shame for building Timothy's hopes up.  
After several minutes, Timothy lifted his head and wiped away his tears. His sobs turned into sniffles. He looked down as he rested his chin with his arms until he saw Markenel's carriage parking in the city square. The judge stepped out of the carriage, holding a basket, and was walking toward the cathedral. The hunchback's broken heart became filled with fear, and he rushed over to Serena, Ash, and the others.   
"You need to leave," Timothy said. "Master Markenel's coming."  
Ash and Serena broke their kiss, and the honey blonde woman lifted her head to Timothy.  
"Now?" She asked.   
"Yes, now," Timothy said. "I don't know why he would come up here so late, but you need to leave right now."  
"Why would he come up here?" Miette asked, confused.   
"Doesn't matter. You two and your Pokemon need to get out before he finds you," Timothy said.  
"But what about Ash?" Serena asked.  
"Electchu, Shockwave, Odyssey, and I will hide him," Timothy said, ignoring the pain in his heart from Serena's worry for another man.   
Serena hesitated, not wanting to leave Ash's side until she accepted that she had no other choice. She turned back to Ash and leaned in for one more kiss.  
"I'll come back," she promised.  
"I'll be waiting," Ash said.  
Pikachu and Sylveon gave each other looks of dread, knowing that the mouse Pokemon needed to stay with its partner. Pikachu pulled Sylveon into a hug, and the intertwining Pokemon nuzzled its head against Pikachu's while using its feelers to hug Pikachu back. They broke their hug just as Timothy began leading Serena, Miette, and Slurpuff out of the room, and Sylveon reluctantly followed behind. The Arcean women and their Pokemon followed Timothy outside to the balcony, and he pointed at the south tower.   
"Go down the south tower steps to the middle floor," he instructed. "There's another staircase on the other side that will lead you to one of the side entrances."  
"Thanks," Miette said before she hastily ran toward the staircase with Slurpuff.  
Serena and Sylveon followed behind their friends for a couple of seconds before Serena stopped and ran back to Timothy. She took his hands, held them up, and stared into his green eyes.  
"Please, be careful, Timothy," she begged. "Promise me you won't let anything happen to Ash or Pikachu."  
Timothy paused for a second, still emotionally hurt that Serena cared so much for someone else before accepting that he would never refuse a request from her and that Ash's safety was more important than his feelings.  
"I promise," he said.   
Serena gave him a small smile and placed her hand on his cheek. Timothy smiled back, wishing he and Serena could stay like that forever, but the moment only lasted a moment before Serena turned around. All Timothy could do is watch the woman he cared about run to the south stairs with her Pokemon and climb down until they were out of sight.


	12. Chapter 12

Timothy was still standing in front of the north tower entrance, staring at where he last saw Serena. He longed to see her smile, to look into her ocean-blue eyes, and to feel her hand on his cheek, even though he had learned minutes ago that her heart belonged to Ash. He stayed in his pathetic state until Odyssey went outside looking for him.  
"Timothy, what are you doing?" It asked. "We need to hide Ash and his Pikachu now."  
Timothy snapped out of it and went back inside with Odyssey. Ash was still lying on the tablecloth on the floor with Pikachu, Electchu, and Shockwave surrounding him. He lifted his upper body up to stand until Timothy forced him down.  
"Don't make any sudden movements. You might rip your stitches," Timothy said.   
"How are you going to hide Pikachu and me then?" Ash asked.  
"We could hide them in the bedroom," Electchu suggested.  
"No, it's too far away. We'll never make it there before Master Markenel arrives," Timothy said.  
Ash and Pikachu looked at Timothy befuddled, and the former asked, "Did you understand what your Pikachu said?"  
"Yes, yes. I understand my Pokemon friends perfectly," Timothy said impatiently.   
"Why don't we hide them under the table?" Shockwave asked.   
Timothy looked at the table with his model city and figures and realized that both sides of the tablecloth covering it nearly reached the floor on both sides.   
"That'll do," Timothy said. "I'm gonna need all of you to watch him from under there, though."  
"You got it," Electchu said.  
"Pikachu," Pikachu said.  
Timothy scooped Ash up from under the wounded man's arms and dragged him toward the table, trying not to make any movents that would open his wounds. He lifted the tablecloth up and gently pushed Ash underneath the table with Shockwave and Odyssey forcing his arms and legs to go inside. All four Pokemon went underneath the table, and Timothy put the cover down just in time to notice his supper was still left untouched. Not wanting his master to see that he hadn't eaten, Timothy took the bread and cheese and put them underneath the table.  
"Here. Help yourself if you and your Pikachu haven't eaten," he whispered to Ash.  
"Thanks," he heard Ash say.  
Timothy took the plate, picked up the goblet Serena left on the floor, and rushed over to put them back in their spots on the cabinet. He then folded the tablecloth on the floor and put it in its place in the cupboard, hoping that Markenel won't notice the blood and wine stains. Timothy then raced back to the table, pulled up a stool, and began pretending to be playing with his figures. He silently prayed to the Lord that Markenel wouldn't find Ash and that Serena, Sylveon, Miette, and Slurpuff would return to their hideout safely just as Markenel was entering the room.  
"Good evening, Timothy," he said.  
Timothy let out a yelp and dropped his figures. He turned his head to see Markenel smiling at him while carrying a basket with his arm and holding a candle. Timothy stood up to face his adopted father with a forced grin.  
"Oh, M-m-m-Master Markenel. What a surprise," Timothy said. "I didn't think you'd be coming so late while you're out doing your work."  
"I'm never too busy for you, dear boy," Markenel said as he petted the hunchback's head. "I decided to bring a little treat."  
Markenel placed the candle and basket on the table and sat on a stool at the end of the table. Timothy mentally sighed in relief that Markenel didn't come for something serious until he heard the judge loudly clear his throat. It took a second before Timothy realized what the judge wanted and rushed back to the cabinet to grab plates. He grabbed the plates in such haste that he tripped on his foot and nearly fell down while he ran back to Markenel. He put the plates on the table and sat back down on his stool, his heart racing as Markenel took out two stalks of grapes and put them on the plates.  
"Where are your Pokemon, Timothy?" Markenel asked.  
"Oh, uh, they were worn out from playing all day, so I sent them to bed." Timothy lied.   
Markenel hummed and took out a grape from his stalk. He bit on his grape right in the middle and chewed slowly as he watched Timothy look at him with his hands shaking.   
"Is something troubling you, Timothy?" The judge asked.   
"No, sir," Timothy said.  
"Oh, but there is," Markenel said. "I know there is."  
"No, really, Master Markenel," Timothy claimed. "There really isn't -"  
"Timothy, you know better than to lie to me," Markenel hissed.  
Timothy flinched at the sharp way the judge spoke. His heart became filled with fear, unsure if he could hide the fugitives for long. The hunchback stood still with his grapes untouched and his eyes on the judge's cold gaze until he thought of an honest answer unrelated to Ash and Pikachu.  
"I'm unsettled with what's been happening outside, sir," he said.   
"Explain," Markenel commanded.   
Timothy took a moment to think of the best way to explain without upsetting Markenel and said, "All day I've seen people and Pokemon getting arrested from afar, and then I hear screaming and crying while your soldiers set places on fire. I know your work is important, and I hope you'll forgive me for doubting, but I can't help but question whether or not what you're doing is right."  
Markenel gave a light chuckle and said, "Of course it is right. What I have done today is within my divine duty."  
"With all due respect, sir, I doubt the Lord would give you permission to destroy homes and arrest people at will," Timothy said.  
Markenel chuckled again, taking Timothy's statement as a moment of cluelessness, and said, "My boy, I have the support of Blessed Maria herself. It is her decree that I find that Arcean woman and give her a chance for salvation through me and punish those who side with the wicked."  
Timothy's eyes widened, and his mouth hung open, appalled with the judge's claim.   
"Y-y-you mean everything you've done was just to try to redeem Serena?!" He asked.   
"Of course," Markenel replied.   
"But you can't do that," Timothy said. "No one can be saved unless they willingly repent and give their life to the Lord."  
"That is not so, Timothy," Markenel claimed. "I am the justice minister tasked to bring order to this wretched city. My righteousness is more than enough to cleanse someone of their wickedness, and the rest must be brought down."  
"That isn't how salvation works, Master Markenel," Timothy said. "There is only one lawgiver and judge, who is able to save and to destroy. Who are you to judge your neighbor?”  
Markenel’s confident smirk disappeared, and he raised an eyebrow. Timothy flinched and lowered his head, afraid that his master was going to beat him.   
“Was that James 4:12?” Markenel asked.  
“Y-y-yes, sir,” Timothy said.  
“Strange. I don’t recall ever assigning that passage to you,” Markenel said.  
"You didn't, sir," Timothy confessed. "I decided to do some extra reading of the holy word today. I wanted to clear my mind on things, and what you've been doing does not appear to be what the Lord wants us to do."  
"Indeed?" Markenel asked. "Well, let's see if you remember this passage from Micah chapter 5: 'And I will cut off sorceries from your hand, and you shall have no more tellers of fortunes.'"  
"The first half of Romans 12:20 says, 'To the contrary, if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink,'" Timothy countered.  
"Leviticus 19 verse 31: 'Do not turn to mediums or necromancers; do not seek them out, and so make yourselves unclean by them: I am the Lord your God,'" Markenel recited.  
"First Peter 3:9 says, 'Do not repay evil for evil or reviling for reviling, but on the contrary, bless, for to this you were called, that you may obtain a blessing,'" Timothy pointed out.  
"'You shall not permit a sorceress to live.' Exodus 22:18."  
"'Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position. Do not be conceited.' Romans 12:16."  
"'Conceited? My boy, you are using passages out of context," Markenel rebuked. "I told you that this is God's will."  
"But he wouldn't want any of us to do what you have done," Timothy said. "Yes, there was a time where the wicked had to be punished, but that’s over. There’s so much more in the bible that talks about loving one another, which has been one of his greatest commandments since Moses's time. The Son of Man himself said to love our enemies and pray for our persecutors and that our father is heaven causes his sun to rise and send rain on both the righteous and the unrighteous. He also said that there is no reward for only loving those who love us because -"  
"You're not eating, boy."  
Timothy flinched, and his heart jumped in fright. Even though Markenel spoke in the same cold, mild voice, the way he said "eating" may as well have sounded like the growl of a carnivore ready to pounce on the poor hunchback. Timothy grabbed a handful of grapes and stuffed them into his mouth. His eyes were fixed on his plate because he was afraid to look at his master's face. Markenel smirked as he watched Timothy eat, thinking the young man's submission meant he won the argument.   
But then, his eyes turned to Timothy's model city, and he saw the hunchback's figure off its spot on the model of Lumiose Cathedral and standing close to a figure of Serena. He clenched his teeth from inside his mouth, and his hands turned into fists with his theory proven correct. While still keeping a calm demeanor, Markenel stood up and picked up the Serena figure to look at it closely. Timothy looked up from his grapes, and his heart froze as he realized he forgot about his new statue.  
"Is this one new?" Markenel asked. "It's awfully good. It almost looks like the Arcean woman."  
Timothy stood still, unable to say anything. He knew that Markenel would be mad that he made a figure of an Arcean, but he didn't think about what he would do if he saw his figure of Serena. The judge continued to look at the figure as though Timothy wasn't there, leaving the younger man unsure of what he was going to do, and then, as quick as a flash, Markenel smacked Timothy in the face so hard that he fell off his stool. Timothy crawled back a couple of steps with his arm up in defense as Markenel glowered at him with his teeth clenched.   
"You let her escape!" Markenel shouted. "Admit it! All of Lumiose City is burning because of you!"  
"S-s-she was kind to me, m-m-master," Timothy confessed in a near whisper.   
Markenel let out an inhuman scream and slammed his fist into a model house, breaking it into pieces. Timothy backed away further, terrified as his adopted father continued to destroy his model city and knock his figures off the table.  
"YOU IDIOT!!!" He roared. "THAT WASN'T KINDNESS!!! THAT WAS CUNNING!!!" With the cathedral model knocked off the table, Markenel grabbed Timothy by the shirt and lifted him up until their faces were close together. "SHE'S AN ARCEAN!!! ARCEANS ARE NOT CAPABLE OF REAL LOVE!!! THINK, BOY!!! THINK OF YOUR MOTHER!!!"  
Tears ran down Timothy's face, and his body shook as he looked at the rage in Markenel's eyes. The judge held on to his gaze at the frightened man until he noticed that he was still holding the Serena statue with his right hand. His anger melted into a smirk, and he let go of Timothy.   
"But what chance would a poor, misshapen child have against the powers of someone so wicked?" Markenel asked before he took out a dagger from his belt and pierced the Serena statue onto the tip of the blade. He held the wooden statue up to the candle with his dagger, and it caught fire. "Well, never you mind, Timothy. She will trouble us no longer soon enough."   
He swung the burning figure off the tip of his dagger, and it rolled over until it was just inches away from Timothy.   
"W-w-what do you mean?" Timothy asked.   
Markenel's smirk grew, and he said, "In my search for Serena, I have discovered where the Court of Miracles is. As we speak, Captain Giovanni is gathering a thousand soldiers and Pokemon. At dawn, I will fulfill my destiny by destroying the Arceans once and for all. Good night, Timothy."   
Markenel walked past Timothy and exited the room without another word. Timothy stayed on the floor, shivering from his master's outburst until his eyes turned to the Serena figure, which had become nothing but a black lump of crumbly wood. The hunchback's fear grew for Serena as it hit him that she, Sylveon, and their people and Pokemon were discovered and were only hours away from destruction.   
His train of thought was interrupted when he heard Ash, Pikachu, Electchu, Shockwave, and Odyssey crawl out from under the table. The raven-haired man bit his lip as he put his hand on the table's edge to stand up. Timothy stood up and walked over to help him, but Ash held his hand to assure him that he was okay.   
"We've got to warn the Arceans," Ash said.   
"You're still wounded," Timothy pointed out.  
"I'm fine. Serena stitched me up good, and the food you gave me under there helped me regain some energy," Ash claimed. "More importantly, we have to find the Court of Miracles before daybreak."  
"Then you and your Pikachu better get going," Timothy said.  
Ash looked at Timothy, confused, and asked, "What do you mean? You're not coming?"  
"I can't," Timothy said.  
"Why not? I thought Serena is your friend," Ash said.  
"Markenel is my master. I'm not disobeying him again," Timothy said.   
"Oh, come on. She stood up for you, and this is your gratitude?" Ash rebuked. "Countless lives are at stake."  
"Pikachu!" Pikachu shouted in agreement.  
"He's right, Timothy," Odyssey said, standing beside the hunchback.  
"And what does he expect me to do? Rescue the lady and her people and Pokemon from the clutches of evil, and then everyone thinks I'm a hero?" Timothy quietly hissed to the Riolu so that Ash and Pikachu couldn't hear. "Serena already has her knight-in-shining-armor, and it's not me."  
"That doesn't matter right now," Electchu said. "Ash and Pikachu need all the help they can get in warning the Arceans. It'll be just them against Master Markenel with a whole army."  
"Yeah, well, I'm sure they can take them on, no problem since Ash is the bravest person to Serena," Timothy said bitterly.   
Electchu and Odyssey scoffed at how their friend was acting childish. Timothy looked away from them until Shockwave walked over and forced him to look at it with its hands on his cheeks, giving him a serious look.   
"Listen, Timothy, we're all sorry that Serena chose another guy, and we wish we didn't get your hopes up, but this is more important than your feelings," Shockwave said. "Master Markenel wants to kill countless people and Pokemon just for having different beliefs, and right now, the only ones who have a chance to stop him are the six of us in this room. If we don't all do our part in finding the hideout as best as we can, then Serena and Sylveon will surely die. You said that you want to make her happy. Did you really mean that, or was that only on the condition that she is in love with you?"  
Timothy stood still, unsure of how to respond. Shockwave let go of his cheeks, stepped back, and waited with its arms crossed. Ash and Pikachu didn't hear what the hunchback and his Pokemon friends were saying, but they understood that the Pokemon were trying to convince Timothy to help, and so hoped that whatever Shockwave said did the trick. Timothy looked down in thought and tried to find a selfish answer that would work in his favor, but he ultimately couldn't deny what the right choice was.  
"Okay, I'm going to help," he said.  
Electchu, Shockwave, and Odyssey sighed in relief while Ash and Pikachu smiled.  
"Glad to hear it," Ash said. "Now we just need to figure out how to look for the Court of Miracles. Got any ideas."  
Timothy opened his mouth to say no until he remembered the necklace Serena gave him. He took it out from under his shirt and said, "I think this will help."  
Ash and Pikachu tilted their heads, and the former asked, "How in the world is that going to help us?"  
"I don't know. Serena gave this to me and said this will show the way," Timothy said.  
Ash frowned and walked over to take the necklace from Timothy's hand. He held it up to examine it closely and rubbed his chin in thought while Pikachu hopped on his shoulder to look at it too.   
"Hmmm. Maybe it's some sort of code," Ash said. "Those crosses could be hieroglyphs in some ancient language. What do you think, Pikachu?"  
"Pika?" Pikachu asked, finding Ash's theory to be silly.   
Ash sighed and lowered his head in defeat.   
"You're right. It doesn't make any sense," he said. "This could lead us anywhere in the city."  
Pikachu lowered its ears, disheartened by Ash's words. Electchu, Shockwave, and Odyssey grew worried as neither of them had any better ideas. Timothy stared at the woven band, wishing Serena told him what he was supposed to do with it, but then he remembered the second thing Serena told him.  
"When you wear this woven band, you hold the city in your hand."  
Timothy took the pointed ellipse while Ash was still holding the necklace and studied the two crosses and the blue ellipse. He squinted his eyes as the wheels in his head turned until the answer clicked in his mind.   
"It's a map," he said.  
"A map?" Ash asked. "How is this a map?"  
"Look closely," Timothy said while pointing at the band. "The big, white cross is the cathedral, and the blue ellipse is the river surrounding it and most of the city."  
Ash looked at where Timothy was pointing and thought about it before he said, "Okay, I guess that makes sense, but what is the other cross then?"  
"If it's the only other thing showing on the map, then it might be where the Court of Miracles is," Timothy said.  
Ash tilted his head and scratched the back of it in confusion.  
"If you're right about that, then judging from where the cross is positioned, that means the Arceans' hideout is somewhere in the city's graveyard," he said. "But how could dozens if not hundreds of people and Pokemon be hiding there?"  
"I don't know, but unless you have a better idea, the graveyard is the only place we can look," Timothy said.  
Ash furrowed his brow and continued to scratch his head, skeptical of Timothy's theory. He turned his head to Pikachu, and the mouse Pokemon shrugged. Timothy, Electchu, Shockwave, and Odyssey waited for several seconds before the raven-haired man sighed and said, "I hope you're right about this, Timothy. I don't know what I'm going to do if we fail to warn Serena."  
"Believe me, I'm as scared for her life as you are," Timothy said.   
Ash smiled and nodded in approval before turning to Pikachu again.  
"Let's go save the Arceans," he said.  
"Pikachu," Pikachu said, nodding in agreement.   
"In that case, we better make another disguise for you before we all head out, Timothy," Electchu said.  
Timothy frowned and asked, "We all head out?"  
The hunchback's three Pokemon friends smirked at him, and Odyssey said, "You don't expect us to stay behind this time, do you? We'd never forgive ourselves if we let you leave the cathedral without us to protect you again."  
"Besides, six heads are better than one," Shockwave said.   
Timothy paused before he smiled and hugged the Pokemon, saying, "Thank you, you guys."  
"Hey, save the thanks until after we save the day," Electchu said.  
Timothy broke the hug and nodded at the mouse Pokemon before Electchu, Shockwave, and Odyssey ran over to the last curtain on the window to make a disguise. He turned to the necklace that Ash was still holding and mentally prayed that they would warn Serena in time.


	13. Chapter 13

By the time Timothy, Ash, Electchu, Shockwave, Odyssey, and Pikachu exited the cathedral from one of the side entrances, the fires all over the city had died down. Citizens and their Pokemon were cleaning up the things the soldiers destroyed or scavenged for items that survived the fires. Many were crying or trying to help their neighbors who lost their homes. Ash, Timothy, and their Pokemon looked at what was happening with crestfallen faces as they walked to the graveyard. Timothy kept his hood down to keep people from seeing him as they passed by.   
When the six of them reached the city graveyard, Ash took one of the torches hanging beside the gates before they went in. The cemetery had hundreds of tombstones, crypts, and tombs as far as the eye could see. Ash, Timothy, and the Pokemon looked at each other with anxious looks.   
"I guess there's nothing else to it but to spread out and look for something that'll lead us to the hideout," Ash said.   
Timothy nodded before he, Electchu, Shockwave, and Odyssey began looking around the graveyard in different directions. Ash and Pikachu took a moment to let out anxious sighs before the mouse Pokemon hopped off its partner's shoulder, and they began to look around.   
For the next twenty minutes, the six of them looked at every grave they could find. One by one, they read the name on a tombstone, crypt, or tomb, but no matter what they looked at, there was nothing that looked like a clue leading to the Court of Miracles. Timothy became discouraged with his idea until he heard Electchu called out.  
"Hey, guys, I found something!"  
Timothy, Ash, Pikachu, Shockwave, and Odyssey ran over to Electchu, standing in front of a crypt. Ash knelt down in front of the crypt and saw the symbol on Timothy's necklace etched above AZ's name.  
"Well, what do you know?" Ash said before petting Electchu on the head. "Nice job."  
Electchu squealed in delight from being pet while Shockwave and Odyssey pat it on the back.  
"Great work, Electchu," Timothy said. "Now we just need to figure out what we're supposed to do next."  
Ash rubbed his chin and said, "Yeah, but I have no idea how we're going to do that when all it shows is the symbol and the letters 'A' and 'Z.' Best guess I have is that those words could be some sort of code, but it'll take a while to figure it out."  
The raven-haired man hummed in thought as he studied the inscription. Pikachu, Electchu, Shockwave, and Odyssey sat on their bottom and began brainstorming with Ash. Timothy furrowed his brow and circled around the crypt, but there were no other markings or inscriptions around the stone block. He then looked at the lid and debated with himself before taking a chance and began pushing the top away. Ash stood up, having heard the lid moving, and looked at Timothy in disbelief until the hunchback pushed it all the way and smiled at what was inside. Ash held his torch over the crypt and found a set of stairs leading underground.   
"How did you know that there wasn't a corpse inside?" Ash asked.   
"Lucky guess," Timothy said. "Come on."  
Timothy climbed inside and began walking down the steps. Ash smirked at the hunchback before climbing in, followed by Pikachu, Electchu, Shockwave, and Odyssey. The group went down to the bottom of the steps to find themselves in a narrow catacomb. The floor was covered in sewage water that went up to everyone's feet, and there were skeletons of people and Pokemon piled up against the walls. Timothy, Electchu, Shockwave, and Odyssey struggled not to throw up from the smell as Ash took the lead with Pikachu on his shoulder.  
"Of all the places leading to the Arceans' hideout, why did it have to be a place like this?" Shockwave complained.   
"Remind me to find a spot where we can bathe in the river on the way back to the cathedral," Odyssey said.   
"That's probably a good idea that we make sure to do that," Electchu said. "If Master Markenel is coming from down here, he'll probably recognize the smell the next time he comes up the bell tower."  
"Good thinking, Electchu," Timothy said. "The last thing we need is Master Markenel finding out that we warned the Arceans."  
Ash furrowed his brow, having overheard the hunchback, and asked, "You're really subject to Markenel, aren't you, Timothy?"  
"I told you he's my master," Timothy said. "Besides, I'm uneasy as it is leaving the cathedral again. I just want to get this over with before I cause any trouble like what happened at the Feast of Fools."  
Ash's frown deepened, and he opened his mouth to tell Timothy that Markenel ordered Giovanni to have his men attack him, but then he stopped himself and looked around the catacomb, suspicious.   
"You know, speaking of trouble, I feel like we should have found some by now," he said.  
"What do you mean? Timothy asked.   
"Well, with such an important hideout, maybe the Arceans would have something to protect it in case someone found the entrance," Ash said. "Like, maybe they would have a guard or a booby trap."  
"Or maybe an ambush," a man said from behind. "Magneton, Dragonair, Thunder Wave!"  
Before they had a moment to react, Ash, Timothy, Pikachu, Electchu, Shockwave, and Odyssey felt jolts of electricity hitting them from behind. They fell to the ground with yellow sparks appearing all over their body before the catacombs suddenly lit up with people and Pokemon surrounding them. The people were holding torches as they and their Pokemon laughed maniacally, all of them dressed in masks and black suits with bones painted on them to make them look like they were skeletons. In front of the group, the costumed people and Pokemon backed away to reveal Sonia walking over to them. She put her hands on her hips and smirked at the two men and their Pokemon as she spoke in a taunting voice.   
"Well, well, well, what do we have here?" She asked.   
"Trespassers!" A male guard answered.   
"Spies!" A female guard hissed.   
"No! We're not spies!" Ash said. "We're here to – hmph."  
The Arceans gagged Ash and Timothy from behind and tied their hands before Ash could finish his sentence. Pikachu, Electchu, Shockwave, and Odyssey tried to tell the Arcean Pokemon about Markenel, but they were also gagged before they had the chance. Sonia sneered at Ash and Timothy as her guards pulled them up to face her.  
"Captain Giovanni's second-in-command and a henchman sneaking here with a few Pokemon. That sounds like a group of spies to me," she said. "Did you think you could just find one of our secret passages, waltz into my front door, and then leave to report to Judge Markenel so that he can arrest my people and Pokemon? Sorry, but that ain't happening, gentlemen. I think we should put you on trial and decide what to do with you intruders."  
The Arceans and their Pokemon laughed again, and two Gothorita lifted Ash, Timothy, Pikachu, Electchu, Shockwave, and Odyssey up using Psychic. The six of them tried to protest despite their mouths gagged, but their efforts were in vain. Sonia led everyone to the extensive catacombs, where all of the Arceans talked and played with their families and Pokemon. The Gothorita levitated their prisoners to a tall, wooden platform, where several nooses were hanging above a beam. Ash, Timothy, Pikachu, Electchu, Shockwave, and Odyssey's hearts sank, and they struggled in fear despite their paralyzed bodies. As the Gothorita lowered the prisoners onto the platform, the guards wrapped the nooses around their necks. Sonia smirked and shouted to everyone in the catacombs.   
"Everyone, come gather around!" She called out. "We're having a trial, and you do not want to miss it!"  
The Arceans immediately stopped what they were doing and gathered around until a crowd surrounded the platform. Sonia's smirk grew as she began pacing at the edge of the platform as she spoke to the crowd.   
"Ladies and gentlemen, you are in for a treat you will never forget!" She announced. "Just moments ago, we apprehended a few spies."  
The Arceans turned their eyes to Ash, Timothy, Pikachu, Electchu, Shockwave, and Odyssey, and booed at them.   
"And these are not just any spies. It's Captain Giovanni's lieutenant, and the Lumiose Cathedral bellringer, both armed with their Pokemon companions," Sonia continued. "We caught them entering from the graveyard entrance just moments ago, no doubt planning to give our location to Markenel."  
The Arceans and their Pokemon booed even louder. Some of them threw food at the two men and their Pokemon. Timothy's fear grew as he began to feel like he was back in the Feast of Fools.  
"These six invaded our home in the service of a man who wants to execute us, including our children!" Sonia continued. She turned to Timothy and spat on the floor in front of him with a cold glare. "And to think I called this one a friend and put a crown on his head."  
Timothy once again tried to convince Sonia that she was wrong despite the gag covering his mouth. Sonia scoffed in disinterest, thinking the hunchback was cursing her or pleading for his life. She turned her gaze to Ash and asked, "Do you have anything to say for your defense?"  
Ash yelled through his gag, hoping that Sonia could understand him. Pikachu, Electchu, Shockwave, and Odyssey joined in with tears running down their faces in fear for their lives. Sonia rubbed her chin and hummed, pretending that she heard them.  
"Such interesting arguments," she said sarcastically before turning to the crowd. "The spies have made their case! What does the jury say?"  
"Execute them!" A man in the crowd shouted.  
"Let's see them dangling in the air!" A woman shouted.   
"Let their corpses rot down here!" Another man yelled.  
Sonia smirked as the rest of the crowd made similar declarations and walked over to the lever attached to the door beneath the prisoner's feet. Timothy turned to Electchu, Shockwave, and Odyssey and gave them an apologetic look. His Pokemon friends looked at him sadly, accepting that they were going to die. Ash and Pikachu looked at each other, smiling sadly through their gags, thinking at least they tried. Sonia grabbed the lever with both hands and began to pull until she heard a voice louder than the rest of the crowd.  
"STOP!!!"  
The peach-haired woman halted and turned her head to see Serena emerging from the crowd, followed by Sylveon, Miette, and Slurpuff. Ash and Timothy called out Serena's name through their gags as the honey blonde woman, and her companions climbed up the platform.  
"These men and their Pokemon aren't spies, Sonia. They're our friends," Serena said.   
"Friends? What on Earth are you talking about, Serena?" Sonia asked.   
"Ash and Pikachu were the ones who rescued Karsten and his family. Markenel ordered them to be executed before Sylveon and I saved them," Serena explained.  
"Sylveon," Sylveon said, standing in front of Pikachu.   
"It's true, Sonia," Miette said. "The soldiers were going to cut off their heads before Serena and Sylveon intervened, and Captain Giovanni shot Ash with an arrow when they tried to escape." She pulled on Ash's collar to show his front wound.   
"And Timothy's the one who helped me escape the cathedral," Serena said.  
"But how did they find the secret passage?" One of the guards asked.   
"I gave Timothy my necklace showing the way," Serena answered. She removed Timothy's gag from his face and asked, "Do you have the necklace with you?"  
"I'm wearing it under my shirt," Timothy replied.  
Serena reached under Timothy's shirt and took out the woven band hanging around his neck. She turned her head to Sonia and glared daggers at the peach-haired woman as if to silently demand that she free her friends. Sonia hesitated before she accepted that Serena and Miette were telling the truth.  
"Release them," she ordered. "Bring over some Cheri berries for their paralysis."  
Serena smiled brightly and turned to Ash to hug him before removing his gag for a kiss. Timothy felt like a needle pierced through his heart, but he shook it off when two Arcean women got on the platform with handfuls of Cheri berries and fed them to Ash, Timothy, Pikachu, Electchu, Shockwave, and Odyssey. The guards unbound them, and Ash pulled Serena in for another hug while Sylveon wrapped its feelers around Pikachu affectionately. Electchu, Shockwave, and Odyssey hugged each other while Sonia walked over to Timothy, scratching the back of her head.  
"Uh, sorry for almost executing you," she said. "I hope you understand that we're all a little on edge with Markenel going on a major hunt against us."  
"I do understand," Timothy said. "I'm just glad we found you all so that we can warn you."  
"Warn us?" Miette asked.  
Ash's face turned serious as he broke his hug with Serena and walked over to the edge of the stage.  
"We came to warn all of you!" He shouted to the crowd. "Markenel is coming! He says he knows where your hideout is, and he's coming to attack at dawn!"  
The Arceans and their Pokemon gasped in horror while some whispered amongst themselves, unsure of whether or not they should believe Ash.  
"Markenel has been searching for the Court of Miracles for decades. Are you sure he found us?" Sonia asked.   
"Master Markenel told me himself," Timothy said. "He said he discovered where the Court of Miracles is while he was hunting for Serena, and he's gathering a thousand soldiers and Pokemon to destroy all of you."  
The Arceans grew more afraid with Timothy's testimony, and Pikachu, Electchu, Shockwave, and Odyssey called out to the Pokemon in the crowd to backup Ash and Timothy. Sonia's face turned grave, and she turned to her people and Pokemon.  
"Then let us waste no time! We must leave immediately!" She announced. "Leave behind your possessions. Take only what you need!"   
The Arceans immediately scattered and ran to their tents and wagons to grab supplies. Miette grew uneasy as she climbed off the platform with Sonia, Ash, Serena, Pikachu, Sylveon, Timothy, Electchu, Shockwave, Odyssey, and the guards with their Pokemon.  
"Sonia, where will we go?" The blunette woman asked.   
"There are halls that lead to the outskirts of the city," Sonia answered. "We have abandoned hideouts far away from here we can use before we find a better place. Maybe with all of the money we earned at the Feast of Fools, we can smuggle our way to other regions." She turned to Ash, Serena, Timothy, and their Pokemon and gave the two men warm smiles. "On behalf of my people and Pokemon, I deeply appreciate you gentlemen coming here to warn us. You and your Pokemon are welcome to join us if you wish."  
Ash turned to Serena and smirked as he pulled her into a side hug and said, "Well, Pikachu and I are fugitives, so we may as well. The two of us would like to stick by Serena and Sylveon's sides anyway."  
"Pikachu," Pikachu said in agreement.  
Serena and Sylveon smiled lovingly at the raven-haired man and his Pokemon before the former kissed Ash on the cheek and Sylveon nuzzled Pikachu. Timothy felt another sharp pain in his heart before he felt Sonia put her hand on his shoulder.  
"How about you?" She asked.  
Timothy gave the peach-haired woman a small smile and said, "I appreciate the offer, but my place is in the bell tower, and I can only imagine what Master Markenel will do if my friends and I disappear with all of you."  
Serena frowned and said, "I wish you would reconsider, Timothy, but I understand. You took a terrible risk by coming here, and we're grateful."  
"Sylveon," Sylveon agreed.   
"You should be grateful to Timothy. He's the one who figured out your riddle," Ash said with a toothy grin. "Without him and his friends, Pikachu and I would never have found our way here."  
"Nor would I."  
Everyone turned to the entrance where Ash, Timothy, and his Pokemon came from and found Markenel, Giovanni, and Persian standing in front of it. The Arceans screamed in fear as a torrent of soldiers and Pokemon dressed in armor moved past Markenel and his loyal minions and began arresting people, and Pokemon left and right. Some Arcean families and their Pokemon tried to run away but were quickly captured by the soldiers' Pokemon using Thunder Wave, Stun Spore, Sleep Powder, and other moves to stop them. Before they knew it, soldiers and their Pokemon grabbed Ash, Pikachu, Serena, Sylveon, Sonia, Miette, and Slurpuff from behind. They formed a circle with spears pointing at Timothy, Electchu, Shockwave, and Odyssey. Markenel cackled as he, Giovanni, and Persian walked in.   
"At last, the Court of Miracles is mine," Markenel said.   
"This will be a day long remembered," Giovanni said.  
"Mmmeeeeoooowwww," Persian said.   
Markenel looked around to see all of the Arceans apprehended, smirking in sadistic pleasure. His gaze then turned to Timothy and the hunchback quivered with fear. Electchu, Shockwave, and Odyssey moved in front of Timothy in defense, but the judge showed no interest in them. His smirk grew as he walked over to Timothy and patted his head.   
"Dear, dear Timothy, I always knew that it was your destiny to help me destroy the Arcean vermin," he said.  
"What do you mean?" Serena asked.   
"Why, I tricked him into believing that I found your hideout, my dear," Markenel explained. "It was all too clear that the fool developed an attachment to you, and he would try to help you slip from my grasp again. All I had to do was put on a little show and wait."  
Timothy stood still in shock for a second before he fell into his hands and knees. Electchu, Shockwave, and Odyssey stood beside him as tears ran down his face.  
"No," he whimpered.  
Giovanni grinned as he watched the guilt overtake Timothy before he and Markenel turned to Ash.  
"And look what else we caught on our net. Lieutenant Ash and his Pokemon partner back from the dead," Markenel said. "Another miracle that he survived your arrow, no doubt, Captain."  
Giovanni scoffed and gave Ash the same condescending look he had at Karsten's farm, making it clear that he still no longer recognize him as his son.  
"I shall remedy that now, sir," Giovanni announced as he drew his sword.  
"No, there's no need for that yet," Markenel said, holding his hand up. "Let's have the traitors attend our celebration first."  
Giovanni grinned and said, "Excellent idea, sir."  
"What celebration?" Ash asked, glaring daggers at the men.   
Markenel and Giovanni chuckled with their mouths closed, and the judge began pacing around Timothy and his Pokemon companions as he spoke to everyone in the catacombs.   
"There will be a bonfire in the city square tomorrow celebrating the liberation from corruption in Lumiose City, and you're all invited," he announced.   
The Arceans gasped as it was apparent what Markenel meant. Many of them, especially children, began to cry, afraid for their lives. Sonia tried to break free from the guard's hold on her, trying to protect her people and Pokemon as their leader, but her resistance was met with guards cuffing her hands behind her. Markenel's smirk grew, taking pleasure in his prisoners filled with despair.  
"Captain Giovanni, lock them up," he ordered.  
"My pleasure," Giovanni said. "All troops, take them all to the Palace of Justice."  
The troops and their Pokemon dragged the Arceans and their Pokemon away. Some prisoners still tried to resist despite being paralyzed and chained, while others cried out to their loved ones, begging the soldiers not to hurt them. The soldiers holding Ash, Serena, Sonia, Miettte, Slurpuff, Pikachu, and Sylveon dragged their prisoners to the entrance last. Timothy stood up and tried to run to their friends as they were being taken away, but the soldiers in front of him held him back with their spears.  
"Serena!" Timothy cried out with tears in his eyes. "Serena, I'm sorry! I'm sorry!"  
He kept calling out to the honey blonde woman until she was out of sight. Timothy turned his head to Markenel to beg, but the stern, disapproving look in the judge's eyes silenced him. The old man made it clear that he was angry that the hunchback disobeyed him again and wasn't willing to hear anything Timothy would say to save his friends. His legs gave out again, and he burst into tears, covering his head with his hands.   
"Take him and his Pokemon back to the cathedral, and make sure they stay there," Markenel ordered.   
Two soldiers picked Timothy up from under his shoulders and dragged him away. Electchu, Shockwave, and Odyssey didn't resist as soldiers picked them up, knowing there was nothing they could do. As Markenel led the soldiers to Lumiose Cathedral, Timothy cried harder as he felt all hope disappear.


	14. Chapter 14

The next evening, Lumiose City's square was crowded with people and Pokemon. At the center was a platform where Serena was tied to a stake with bundles of hay surrounding her. Beside the platform were large cages containing Arceans and their Pokemon along with the people and Pokemon who were hiding them in the city. The cages were guarded by Giovanni, Persian, Butch, Cassidy, and a handful of other soldiers. Ash was in a cage of his own with Pikachu and Sylveon in separate, smaller cages next to him and Butch standing guard. Soldiers and their Pokemon partners held back civilians protesting against Markenel imprisoning so many people and Pokemon, and demanding restitution for their homes raided or burned down. Archdeacon Sycamore, Sister Sophie, and all the other church members with their Pokemon in the cathedral also protested at the front steps of the cathedral, where soldiers were also holding them back.   
A group of soldiers lined up and began beating drums as Markenel stepped onto the platform. He took out a roll of parchment and read it out loud for everyone to hear.  
"The Arcean, Serena, has been found guilty of performing witchcraft with no Pokemon present to disprove her wicked abilities and is therefore declared to be possessed by a demon!" He announced. "The sentence: burn by the stake!"  
The citizens cried out louder, rebuking the false charge, and declaring Serena to be innocent. The Arceans shook the bars to their cages. Their Pokemon attempted to destroy the cages even though they were built to block their abilities. Miette banged on the bars, shedding tears for her friend while Sonia struggled to keep her emotions in check as she watched Serena be terrified for her life. Sylveon and Pikachu called out to her, and Ash clenched his teeth and shut his eyes, losing hope.  
"Lord, please," he prayed. "Don't let this happen! Stop them from burning her."  
Markenel rolled up his parchment and walked over to the edge of the platform facing the cathedral. He looked at Archdeacon Sycamore, who was glaring daggers while soldiers were blocking him with their spears.   
"Markenel, stop this at once!" The archdeacon barked. "I forbid you from executing this woman in front of the house of God!"  
"Your declaration against me means nothing," Markenel said. "Will you ask this woman for penance before the sentence is carried out? If not, then I have no need of your squabbling. "  
"I will do no such thing!" Archdeacon Sycamore yelled. "This woman has done nothing worthy of death!"  
"Then I'm her only hope," Markenel said.  
Archdeacon Sycamore stared at Markenel, baffled by his response. Markenel took a torch from one of his soldiers and walked over to Serena. The honey blonde woman grew more afraid as the judge stood only a couple feet away from her. She expected Markenel to say more slanderous things against her, but the judge's face softened to a smile.  
"The time has come, dear Serena," he said in a soft voice that only Serena could hear. "You stand on the brink of the abyss, but it is not too late to be saved."  
"W-what are you saying?" Serena asked.   
"Despite how you look at me, I am a saintly man," Markenel claimed. "My holiness can remove your trespasses and save you from both this world and the next. All you have to do is give yourself to me unconditionally, and you will be purified."  
At that moment, Serena's fear transformed into shock as she understood what the judge's true intentions were. Her surprise turned to disgust as she remembered their encounter inside the cathedral and realized that everything Markenel had done to so many innocent lives was only for his lust for her flesh while still planning to destroy her people and Pokemon.   
"I will not give myself to you even if you do possess such power!" She snarled.   
Markenel furrowed his brow and said, "Do not refuse so hastily, Arcean. My price is nothing compared to spending an eternity of fire burning flesh that awaits the wicked. Can you deal with such terror just to deny me?"  
"I'll take my chances," Serena said.   
Markenel clenched his teeth and resisted the urge to scream in rage. He wanted to think of something to change Serena's mind, but he ultimately accepted that both her body and spirit must perish. He turned to the crowd and lifted his torch up.  
"The Arcean, Serena has refused to recant!" he announced. "She has put the souls of every human and Pokemon in Lumiose City in awful jeopardy! Therefore, in the name of the Father, the Son, the Holy Spirit, and the Virgin Mary, it is my sacred duty to send this unholy demon back where she belongs!"  
With that, Markenel lowered his torch to the closest bundle of hay, and it immediately caught fire. He stepped back and watched as the flame spread across the other piles within seconds. The protesting grew louder as citizens, and members of the church tried harder to push the soldiers and their Pokemon back to save Serena while everyone in cages called out to her.   
"Serena!" Sonia and Miette called out.  
"Pikachu!" Pikachu yelled.  
"Sylveon!" Sylveon screamed to its partner.  
"SERENA!" Ash shouted louder than everyone as he banged on the bars to his cage.   
Butch sneered at the raven-haired man's desperate attempt to free himself. Giovanni and Persian watched Serena violently cough with sinister grins. The honey blonde woman struggled for air, but the smoke continued to fill up her lungs. It was only a matter of time before the coughing stopped, and her body went limp.  
"NO!!!" Ash screamed.   
"PIKACHU!!!" Pikachu shouted.  
"SYLVEON!!!" Sylveon squealed.  
"SERENA!!!! SERENA, NO!!!!" Miette called out with tears running down her face.   
"MARKENEL, ARCEUS CONDEMN YOU!!!" Sonia yelled   
Markenel paid no heed to the peach-haired woman's curses. As far as he was concerned, Sonia was giving him the satisfaction of his prisoner watching her friend burn. He watched the flames surround Serena's body with a sadistic grin, waiting eagerly for them to reach her. He took such pleasure in what was happening that he didn't notice a deformed figure swinging toward him.

****************************************************************************************************

*Four minutes earlier*

Up in the level below the cathedral towers, Timothy, Electchu, Shockwave, and Odyssey were chained up against the columns. The three Pokemon pulled on their chains and tried to use their Pokemon moves to break them, but like the cages down at the city square, the chains were built to withstand the powers of Pokemon. Timothy, on the other hand, did nothing to free himself. He just slumped with his head hung low, downcast.  
"Come on, Timothy! Snap out of it!" Electchu shouted.   
"What's the use?" Timothy asked in a monotone voice, not looking at the Pokemon.  
"Timothy, our friends are out there! You gotta break these chains!" Shockwave pleaded.  
"I can't. I tried. What difference would it make?" Timothy said.  
"But you can't let Master Markenel win!" Odyssey protested.  
"He already has," Timothy said.  
The three Pokemon looked at their friend in disbelief, and Electchu asked. "So, that's it? You're giving up?"  
"You can't just let everyone die down there, Timothy," Shockwave rebuked. "They need your help and -"   
"MY HELP!?!"  
The Pokemon jumped as Timothy finally turned to them. The hunchback was pulling his chains toward them like he was trying to walk over to them as he screamed.  
"My help?! Oh, I think it's pretty clear how valuable my help is to anyone! Let's think about it, shall we?! I leave the cathedral again to save the only woman in God's creation who has ever given a copper coin about me, thus, ironically getting her captured along with the man she wants to be with! Not to mention I led an entire group of people and Pokemon to be imprisoned by my genocidal master, who's gonna burn them all in one big bonfire! HAVE I LEFT ANYTHING OUT!?!"  
Electchu, Shockwave, and Odyssey stood in silence for a moment before the mouse Pokemon shrugged and said, "Well, we did almost get hanged by the said people and Pokemon we were trying to warn."  
"Thank you! Thank you very much!" Timothy shouted.  
The four of them were silent for half a minute, with Timothy going back to being depressed. His Pokemon friends looked at each other before they sighed.  
"Alright, Timothy. If that's how you're going to be, then we can't do anything to stop you," Electchu said.  
"We are just three Pokemon who can't do anything to these chains," Odyssey said.  
"We just thought that maybe you were something stronger," Shockwave said.   
With that, they hung their heads in defeat, leaving Timothy alone in his misery. The hunchback closed his eyes and dwelled in his self-pity, thinking of how useless he was to everyone, but then his mind went to everything Markenel said to him about the world outside of Lumiose Cathedral being such a terrible place. It seemed so true with how he was bullied at the Feast of Fools, and yet he could not deny that he found people and Pokemon who were kind and caring for others. From Serena to Sylveon, to Ash and Pikachu, even Sonia, though hostile at first, showed how much he was willing to protect those dear to the honey blonde woman. He also thought of how despite what Markenel said about the Arceans tearing him to pieces, Serena defended him, didn't hate him for being Markenel's adopted son, and offered to have him stay with her at the Court of Miracles. Sonia also offered for him to go with her and the Arceans when they tried to flee.  
The more he thought about it, the more he accepted the world was not as terrible as the judge claimed. He then remembered the bible verses he quoted to Markenel, and his distress turned into anger. He looked down to where Markenel was trying to convince Serena to give herself to him and closed his fists, starting to hate the man who manipulated him and was about to execute the woman he cared deeply for.   
"The Arcean, Serena has refused to recant!" Timothy heard Markenel declare. "She has put the souls of every human and Pokemon in Lumiose City in awful jeopardy! Therefore, in the name of the Father, the Son, the Holy Spirit, and the Virgin Mary, it is my sacred duty to send this unholy demon back where she belongs!"  
Timothy watched Markenel lower his torch, and the hay caught fire.   
"NO!!!" Timothy screamed.   
Electchu, Shockwave, and Odyssey turned to Timothy, who began pulling on his chains. His chains showed no hint of breaking, but then the Pokemon heard the sound of stone cracking and turned to see the columns beginning to break. Their hearts were filled with hope as Timothy started to pull harder.  
"Come on, Timothy! You can do it!" Shockwave shouted.  
"Keep going!" Odyssey shouted.  
"Serena's waiting!" Electchu yelled.  
Timothy let out a scream as some of his chains began to break, and the columns crumbled. Finally, with one last pull, the columns toppled down, freeing Timothy, Electchu, Shockwave, and Odyssey. The hunchback let out a triumphant roar before turning around to see a long bundle of rope lying close to him. He grabbed the rope, tied it to the nearest gargoyle, and jumped off the edge. Timothy swung over to the side of the building and placed his feet against the wall to look at the platform where Serena was still tied up motionless. He ran to the end of the wall and jumped again, swinging until he landed on the platform.   
"Timothy!" Markenel shouted.  
"Timothy!" Ash cheered.   
"Pikachu!" Pikachu shouted.  
"Sylveon!" Sylveon cried out.  
"Please, save Serena!" Miette begged.   
"Hurry!" Sonia yelled  
Timothy untied Serena and picked her up on his shoulder with one hand still holding the rope. Three soldiers got on the platform to stop him, but Timothy yanked the stake off the floor with his free arm and threw it at the soldiers, knocking them off. The citizens, members of the church, and the Arceans cheered as Timothy jumped and swung back toward the cathedral with Serena still on his shoulder. He climbed up the wall until he was on the balcony above the cathedral portals and stood up on the railing, facing the square and lifting Serena up with both hands.  
"SANCTUARY!!!" He shouted.  
The citizens, Arceans, members of the church, and all of their Pokemon cheered triumphantly.  
"SANCTUARY!!!"   
Again, they cheered.  
"SANCTUARY!!!"  
The people and Pokemon cheered at the top of their lungs as if Timothy's third declaration secured safe haven for him and Serena. The hunchback put Serena back on his shoulder and climbed back up to the top balcony. Ash, Pikachu, Sylveon, Sonia, Miette, and Slurpuff continued to cheer with their hearts full of joy. Miette was still tearing up as she cheered while Ash thanked the Lord for Serena's safety.   
Markenel’s face, on the other hand, turned barn red with rage. He climbed off the platform and stormed toward Giovanni and Persian.  
"Captain Giovanni!"  
"Sir!" Giovanni responded with a salute.   
"Get me a sword! We are going to seize the cathedral," Markenel ordered.  
Giovanni grinned and said, "Yes, Minister Markenel."  
Sister Sophie, and the other members of the church gasped, having overheard the men while Archdeacon Sycamore glared daggers at the judge.   
"Markenel, have you gone mad?!" He shouted. "I will not allow you to ignore sanctuary in the house of God!"  
"You hold no power over me, you fool!" Markenel called out back while a soldier handed him a sword and sheath. "God and I have unfinished business with the witch and that creature, and you will not interfere!"  
The archdeacon grew afraid as Markenel tied the sheath to his waist, took out his sword, and pointed it at the church. Sister Sophie turned to the other nuns, monks, and their Pokemon, shouting, "Everyone, get back inside and lock the doors!" The church members quickly ran inside the cathedral and closed the left and right portals behind them. Sister Sophie grabbed the stunned Archdeacon Sycamore by the hand and pulled him back inside the center portal before the soldiers could get in. The soldiers banged on the doors and tried to pull them open, but they would not budge.   
Cassidy walked over to Markenel, Giovanni, and Persian and said with a salute, "Minister Markenel, they locked themselves in."  
"No matter. Get everyone and their Pokemon who aren't holding back the peasants over here, and we will break the doors down," Markenel ordered.  
"Sir, aren't the doors built to withstand Pokemon moves?" Cassidy questioned.  
"So they say, but that's never been proven, leastways not when they're a couple of centuries old," Giovanni said. "Now summon everyone not occupied and get moving!"  
"Yes, sir!" Cassidy said.  
The blonde soldier ran to where Butch and the other soldiers guarding the prisoners were and shouted, "Everyone, to the cathedral!" The soldiers took out their swords and followed Cassidy, but before Butch could leave his post in front of Ash's cage, the raven-haired man encircled his arm around the guard's neck, grabbed his bicep with his other arm, and began choke holding him.   
"Alone at last," Ash said. "Don't worry, Butch. You're just going to sleep, and when you wake up, you'll have a nasty headache."  
Butch gasped for air and reached out to his comrades, but the other soldiers were too far away and focused on attacking the cathedral. Eventually, the guard lost consciousness, and Ash grabbed the keys from Butch's belt before letting him drop to the ground.   
"Pikachu!" Pikachu cheered for its friend.   
"Sylveon!" Sylveon chirped.   
Ash gave the Pokemon a toothy grin before unlocking the door to his cage with the keys. He got out and then freed Pikachu and Sylveon from their cages with the mouse Pokemon jumping into his arms. Ash chuckled and hugged his partner back before his face turned serious. He took Butch's sword from its sheath, climbed up to the top of his cage, and lifted the blade up as he shouted for everyone to hear.   
"Citizens of Lumiose City, Arceans, people and Pokemon of Kalos, one and all!" He called out. "Markenel has persecuted us, ransacked our city, nearly executed a woman for false charges, and now he has waged war on Lumiose Cathedral itself!" He turned to the Arceans and their sympathizers in cages and said, "We have our differences, and there are things that can't be undone, but we can't stop that from working together and bring down the injustice against us! Are you with me?!"  
The citizens cheered, uplifted by Ash's words, and, as one force, they pushed the soldiers back. Ash climbed down the cage and began freeing the Arceans and their sympathizers. The prisoners joined together to attack the soldiers holding down the civilians from behind. Ash undid the lock holding Sonia, Miette, Slurpuff, and a handful of other Arceans last, and the peach-haired woman gave Ash a grateful smile.  
"Thank you, Ash," she said.   
"Save the thanks until after we get through this," Ash said. "We still gotta take them down before they get to Serena and Timothy."  
Sonia's face turned serious, and she nodded. She ran over to where the Arceans overpowered the soldiers and took a sword from an unconscious guard. She raised the weapon up and shouted, "Everyone, follow me!"  
The people and Pokemon rallied to the peach-haired woman with the Arceans picking up the weapons of the overpowered soldiers and the citizens armed with pitchforks and axes. Together, they marched toward Markenel and his forces with Ash, Pikachu, Miette, and Slurpuff beside Sonia. The citizens and Arceans' march turned into a run as Sonia and Ash raised their swords again, and they simultaneously shouted, "Charge!" Everyone let out battle cries loud enough for Markenel and Giovanni to turn their gaze away from the portals to see the charging mob.   
"Take point in the rearguard!" Giovanni ordered.   
Half of the soldiers and their Pokemon stopped attacking the doors and turned around to meet the mob. Their Pokemon used moves such as Psybeam, Flamethrower, Razor Leaf, and Hyper Beam, injuring people and Pokemon, but it wasn't enough before the mob rammed into them.


	15. Chapter 15

Back in the cathedral, Timothy climbed up to the top balcony with Serena. He ran to his bedroom in the south tower and kicked the door open before putting her down on his bed. The hunchback smiled and put his hand on her cheek.  
"Don't worry. You're safe here," he said.   
The honey blonde woman laid motionless, but Timothy didn't pay any mind. He ran out of the bedroom, closing the door behind him, and went down the stairs back to the lower level where he, Electchu, Shockwave, and Odyssey were chained. The three Pokemon were waiting for him with worried looks.  
"How's Serena?" Shockwave asked.   
"She's fine. I got her before the fire reached her," Timothy answered. "What's happening down there?"  
"Master Markenel is seizing the cathedral," Odyssey said. "He and his soldiers are attacking the front doors right now."  
Timothy looked at the Riolu, shocked, and ran over to the edge. He looked down at the square, dumbfounded to see half of the soldiers' Pokemon attacking the cathedral. His gaze turned to his adopted father, who was ordering his soldiers with his sword. His anger for the judge grew until he saw Ash and Sonia leading the mob, and he smiled at his friends helping him protect Serena.   
But, Timothy's smile soon disappeared when he realized that, despite their superior numbers, the civilians and Arceans were losing. While Sonia, Ash, Pikachu, Miette, and Slurpuff held their own, the rest of the mob proved to be little match for the well-trained soldiers and their Pokemon. Little by little, soldiers disarmed their opponents, and their partners beat the other Pokemon, causing members of the mob to run away.   
Timothy turned to Electchu, Shockwave, and Odyssey, who realized what was happening and said, "We've got to help them."  
"But how?" Electchu asked.   
"I need you guys to attack them with everything you have," Timothy said. "Electchu, you use Thundershock, Shockwave, Disarming Voice, and Odyssey, you can use Screech. If we grab the soldiers' attention, they'll try to fight back with whatever ranged attacks they have, leaving them less focused on Ash, Sonia, and the others. That might give our friends the opportunity they need to push back and stop Master Markenel."  
Shockwave grinned and said, "Sounds like a plan."  
"I'm with you, Timothy," Odyssey said.  
"I won't let you down," Electchu said with a salute.  
Timothy gave his dear friends an appreciative smile before the three Pokemon prepared to attack. Electchu squeezed its cheeks with its paws, creating electricity, while Shockwave and Odyssey prepared their voices. With a loud cry, Electchu fired a yellow lightning bolt from its body. Shockwave and Odyssey screamed at the top of their lungs with a beam of purple hearts coming out of Shockwave's mouth and see-through soundwaves coming out of Odyssey's mouth. The Thundershock hit two soldiers with a Meowth, Arbok, and Weezing. The purple hearts and the soundwaves hit larger groups of soldiers and Pokemon, who screamed and howled in pain with the soldiers dropping their weapons and covering their ears. None of the attacks significantly damaged the Pokemon with Electchu, Shockwave, and Odyssey's lack of training, but they did distract them from the mob.   
Giovanni looked up to see Timothy's companions attacking his troops, and he shouted, "Take them down!"  
A dozen soldiers and their Pokemon looked up at Timothy, Electchu, Shockwave, and Odyssey and began firing ranged attacks at them. The hunchback and the Pokemon got down on the floor before a volley of Flamethrowers, Rock Blasts, Dragon Pulse, Thunder, and Psybeam attacks could hit them. The enemy Pokemon continued to unleash their storm of attacks, forcing Timothy, Electchu, Shockwave, and Odyssey to stay in cover.   
“Well, we got their attention,” Electchu said.  
"What do we do now?" Odyssey asked.   
Timothy furrowed his brow and looked down in thought until he noticed the rubble from the columns he destroyed from the corner of his eye.  
"I'm going to drop these at the soldiers and their Pokemon," he said.  
"But that'll kill them," Shockwave said.   
"Not if I intentionally miss," Timothy said. "If I aim the stones right, the soldiers and their Pokemon will think they're heading toward them and move away, or the Pokemon use their moves to destroy them. That'll distract them long enough for you guys to attack as many of them as you can."  
The Pikachu, Kirlia, and Riolu thought about it before they nodded in approval. Timothy nodded back before turning to the largest broken piece of one of the columns and lifted it up. He moved his head toward the ledge far enough to see his opponents without getting hit before he found a spot on the ground and threw the stone down.   
"Watch out!" A soldier cried out.  
Some of the soldiers and their Pokemon attacking moved away just before the stone crashed in front of them, but it was just the opening their opponents needed. Electchu, Shockwave, and Odyssey got up from their hiding spots and used their respective moves again. The rest of the soldiers' Pokemon prepared to attack again, only for Timothy to throw more rubble at them, forcing the Pokemon to use their moves to defend themselves. The hunchback threw debris at his enemies, again and again, keeping them from fighting back while his Pokemon friends continued to use Thundershock, Disarming Voice, and Screech. The soldiers and their Pokemon cried out in pain, with some kneeling down on the ground, trying to protect their ears or weakened by the electricity and purple hearts.  
But as Timothy threw another large, broken piece of stone, his companions suddenly stopped using their attacks. He turned to them to find Electchu lying on its belly in agony while Shockwave and Odyssey kneeled down, massaging their throats. The soldiers' Pokemon began unleashing a volley of attacks at them, forcing Timothy and his friends to retake cover.   
"I'm sorry, Timothy," Shockwave wheezed. "I guess that's all we got."  
"That's okay, Shockwave," Timothy said with a sad smile. "I couldn't ask for more than that."  
Electchu, Shockwave, and Odyssey smiled back before all four of them frowned. Timothy dared to lean close enough to the edge to look at the battle without the soldiers seeing him, and as far as he could tell, their distractions did very little, for Giovanni's troops were still holding back the mob whose numbers continued to dwindle. Timothy shut his eyes and slammed his fist on the ledge, mentally beating himself up for being so little help for his friends in the square. It looked as though Markenel's troops were going to win, and they were going to get in the cathedral.  
"Fletchling."  
Timothy opened his eyes with a confused look and turned to his right. Standing on the ledge with a cheerful face was the Fletchling that he was taking care of. Electchu, Shockwave, and Odyssey looked at the robin Pokemon befuddled as though it had appeared out of nowhere with no idea of what was happening.  
"Fletchling? What are you doing here?" Timothy asked.  
Fetching responded with a dialogue of "Fletch" and "Fletchlings" that confused Electchu, Shockwave, and Odyssey.  
"It says that its flock was flying by, and it sensed that we were in trouble, so it flew ahead to let us know that help is coming," Shockwave said.   
"Help is coming?" Timothy asked.  
Just as he asked the question, Timothy, Electchu, Shockwave, and Odyssey heard the sound of multiple birds calling out. They looked out from the ledge to find the robin Pokemon’s flock of Fletchling, Fletchinder, and Talonflame flying towards the city square. The flock became outlined in red flames before they all tackled unsuspecting soldiers and their Pokemon partners. Markenel's forces panicked in disarray as the Fletchling, Fletchinder, and Talonflame followed their attack with moves like Steel Wing, Ember, Aerial Ace, and Peck. Timothy, Electchu, Shockwave, and Odyssey's eyes lit up, and the hunchback petted Fletchling.   
"Fletchling, you're amazing!" He praised. "Your timing couldn't have been better!"  
"Fletchling," Fletchling chirped.   
The hunchback and his Pokemon friends watched as Fletchling's flock continued to attack the soldiers and their Pokemon. Their hopes returned when they saw the mob begin to gain footing with the bird-like Pokemon distracting the enemy. They cheered their friends on, confident that they were going to make their way to Markenel.  
But suddenly, a soldier's Boldore fired a Rock Blast up in the air, and it hit a Talonflame, causing it to plummet to the ground. The Rock Blast was followed by an Electivire using Electro Ball on a Fletchling and a Grumpig, forcing two Fletchinder to collide with Psychic. Before anyone knew it, the soldiers and their Pokemon recovered from the confusion and began fighting back against the flock.   
"Oh, come on!" Odyssey shouted. "What's it going to take to beat these guys?!"  
Electchu turned to Fletching and asked, "I don't suppose you sent anyone else to help, did you?"  
"Fletchling," Fletchling said, shaking its head sadly.   
Shockwave looked behind it to see that there was still some rubble and said, "Maybe you can help out by throwing more rubble, Timothy. They can't fire back if they're distracted."  
"No, I can't do that," Timothy said. "Fletchling's friends are too close. I might hit them."  
"What can we do, then?" Odyssey asked. "At this rate, they will break into the cathedral."  
"There's gotta be something we can do," Electchu said. "Like, maybe we can force all of the soldiers back in one move."  
"How in the world are we going to do something like that?" Shockwave asked.   
Electchu scratched its head, and Odyssey put its paw on its chin, trying to brainstorm ideas. Timothy's heart grew heavy, feeling certain again that he failed to protect Serena. He turned his head to Fletchling, who looked down in guilt, and sighed until something clicked in his mind, and his eyes turned to the Fletchinder and Talonflame fighting.   
"That's it!" He shouted. "We can drive them away with the copper!"   
The Pokemon looked at him confused, and Electchu asked, "What copper?"  
"There's a giant cauldron of copper just a couple of floors below us," Timothy explained. “It's on a balcony with gargoyle shaped water sprouts attached to the ledge. If we heat up the copper and pour it onto the street, it'll force the soldiers to run away."  
The Pokemon thought about it, and Odyssey said, "That's an interesting idea, but won't that take a while?"  
"No, because we have Fletchling's friends," Timothy said. "Fletchinder and Talonflame have scorching bodies because they have the ability, Flame Body. If they press their bodies against the cauldron, it'll melt faster."  
"But aren't people and Pokemon going to get killed if we use this copper?" Shockwave asked.   
"Not if we warn them," Timothy said. "When we're getting close to ready, Fletchling's friends will warn all of the Pokemon, and they, in turn, will warn the people, forcing everyone to run."  
"Sounds like you're assuming all of the people have a close enough bond with their partners that they can understand them despite even though they don't understand Pokemon language," Shockwave said.   
"It's a risk we have to take," Timothy said. “Ash, Pikachu, and Sonia are far enough back from the cathedral that they'll be able to run away when the copper lands, but we have to hope the soldiers' Pokemon can get them to safety. It's either that, or they get here and kill all of us, including Serena."  
The Pokemon hesitated, finding the plan to be sketchy, but ultimately decided that there was no other option. The three of them nodded, and Timothy turned to Fletchling, saying, "Fletchling, gather some of your friends and meet us a couple floors down."  
"Fletchling," Fletchling answered, using its left wing to salute Timothy before flying away.   
Timothy, Electchu, Shockwave, and Odyssey went back inside the cathedral and took the staircase to the middle floor. When they went out to the balcony, they found the large cauldron still hanging above the fireplace with the copper inside cold and hard. Timothy grabbed logs of wood lying against the wall and placed them under the cauldron just as Fletchling arrived with a trio each of Fletchinder and Talonflame.   
"Fletchling, use Ember on the wood," Timothy instructed. “Fletchinder and Talonflame, press your bodies against the cauldron.   
The bird-like Pokemon nodded, and Fletchling fired sparks of fire on the wood, instantly setting them on fire. The Fletchinder and Talonflame pressed their bodies against the pot, and they glowed red. Timothy looked up at the top of the cauldron and smiled as it slowly began to melt.   
"What do you want us to do, Timothy?" Electchu asked.   
"You three watch the fighting and update me if anything happens," Timothy answered. "I'm going to tilt the cauldron over when the copper is close to ready, so I'm counting on you guys to help me time this right."  
"Understood," Odyssey said.  
"Got it," Shockwave said.   
The Pikachu, Kirlia, and Riolu ran over to the ledge and looked down to watch the battle. The flock was flying around, dodging attacks, having learned from their fallen friends, but the mob still made little progress in reaching Markenel. Meanwhile, Timothy grabbed the large, metal spoon and began stirring the copper as it turned more into a liquid. After a couple of minutes, Timothy felt the lumps in the molten copper dissolving, and he turned to Fletchling.  
"Okay, it's almost done," he said. "Get out there and warn as many Pokemon as possible."  
"Fletchling," Fletchling replied with a nod before it flew away.   
Timothy continued to stir the pot until he felt nothing but liquid inside. He put the spoon down, and the Fletchinder and Talonflame flew away from the cauldron. The hunchback then attached a hook to the beam's side and waited until Electchu, Shockwave, and Odyssey turned to him.  
"It's working!" Electchu called out. "We're ready to go!"  
"Alright, get behind me!" Timothy shouted.  
Electchu, Shockwave, and Odyssey ran back to the other side of the balcony and stood behind their friend. Timothy grabbed the rope attached to the hook and took a deep breath before he pulled. The cauldron tipped over, and the copper poured out, making its way toward the water spouts.

********************************************************************************************

*Five minutes earlier*

While Timothy was setting up his plan, Ash, Pikachu, Sylveon, Sonia, Miette, Slurpuff, and the rest of the civilians and Arceans continued to fight. The raven-haired man clashed swords with two soldiers at once. Pikachu pushed several Pokemon back using Thunderbolt and Iron Tail, their opponents no match for Ash and Pikachu's years of experience from the wars. Sylveon stood beside Pikachu, keeping the mouse Pokemon from getting overrun with enemy Pokemon by blowing them away with Fairy Wind. Meanwhile, Sonia and Miette defended themselves with their swords as best as possible, and Slurpuff was sending soldiers and Pokemon flying using Psychic and Fairy Wind. But, for all their efforts, even with Fletchling's flock aiding them, the rest of the mob were being overpowered by Markenel's forces, leaving more of them to run for their lives by the minute.   
Pikachu unleashed a mighty Thunderbolt that severely damaged a Serviper, Croconaw, Dodrio, Machoke, Beedrill, and Liepard. Sylveon followed its beloved's attack by summoning a gust of silver wind that sent all six Pokemon flying and crashing into their human partners. Pikachu and Sylveon took a moment to smile at each other for how well they work together as a couple until Ash disarmed his two opponents and turned to the mouse Pokemon.  
"Pikachu, use Iron Tail!" He commanded.  
Pikachu snapped out his gaze and jumped toward the two soldiers with its tail turned to iron. It hit the soldiers on the gut with two powerful swings, and they fell on the ground, hugging their stomachs. The raven-haired man and his partner smirked at each other with more than half a dozen fewer enemies to worry about.   
Suddenly, a pink beam with a white outline hit Sylveon hard on the chest, and it squealed as it was set back a few feet.   
"Pikachu!" Pikachu screamed as it rushed to Sylveon's side.  
"Sylveon!" Ash shouted.  
"You and your rat should be more worried about yourselves, traitor," a voice said.   
Ash's face went dark, and he turned his head to see Giovanni and Persian walking over to him. Pikachu clenched its teeth and stood in front of Sylveon defensively with sparks coming out its red cheeks, glaring at the classy cat Pokemon that hurt its beloved with Power Gem. Slurpuff sent Sonia and Miette's opponents flying, and the three of them turned to find Sylveon lying on the ground and Giovanni and Persian walking over to Ash and Pikachu.  
"Giovanni!" Sonia screamed, about to charge with her sword ready.  
"No, Sonia!" Ash shouted, holding his hand out at the peach-haired woman. "This is my and Pikachu's fight."  
"For once, we are in agreement," Giovanni said as he drew his sword.   
The two men raised their swords while their partners prepared to attack. Miette picked Sylveon up and held it close as she watched with Sonia and Slurpuff. Ash and Giovanni kept their battle-hungry glares at each other, showing no hint of care that they are father and son. Finally, Ash let out a cry, and he charged at Giovanni while Pikachu ran toward Persian. Giovanni blocked Ash's attack with ease, and Persian moved away from Pikachu before attempting to cut the mouse Pokemon with Shadow Claw. The two men clashed with their swords furiously while their partners clashed with Iron Tail and Shadow Claw as though they were having their own sword duel. Eventually, Ash and Giovanni were caught in a blade lock, and they tried to push the other back with their swords.   
"You are such a disappointment to me!" Giovanni snarled.  
"Funny, I feel the same way about you!" Ash shouted.   
Ash gave a hard shove, forcing his father to step back a few feet. He followed his move with several downward swings, forcing the captain to hold his sword up for defense. Giovanni stepped back until he saw an opening and thrust at Ash, who barely moved away. Giovanni took his moment of pause to go for the offense, forcing Ash to be the one stepping back.   
Pikachu and Persian, meanwhile, were at an impasse with their fight. Their inhuman speed kept the other from finding an opening. Sylveon watched them in Miette's arms fearfully, wishing the attack from the classy cat Pokemon didn't keep it from aiding Pikachu. Persian went for a pounce with its jaw wide open and its claws still surrounded in black aura with a purple outline, but Pikachu jumped over it and slammed its tail on Persian's head and hit it with Thunderbolt. Sylveon smiled with hope in its heart before Persian countered by smacking Pikachu on the face with Shadow Claw, ignoring the pain it was in.   
Ash looked away from his fight to see what happened to his partner, foolishly giving Giovanni a chance for another thrust. Ash realized what was happening and moved away, but the blade cut his side, and he stepped back, holding it with his arm.   
"Come now, is that all you can do?" Giovanni mocked. "I expected more from your time in the wars."  
Ash glowered at his opponent and charged with a battle cry. Markenel's loyal minion grinned, thinking the younger man would attack recklessly, but when he held his sword up to parry, Ash threw a mighty swing that would have knocked the sword off Giovanni's hand were it not for his firm grip. His confidence turned into fear as Ash continued to strike hard. His moves showed no flaw in its form. The ex-soldier knew what he was doing, and Giovanni was struggling to hold his own. Finally, with a sweep, Ash forced Giovanni's sword to his side, and he swung upward, gnashing Giovanni's cheek and forehead. The captain screamed and stepped back with his hand covering his wounds. He gave Ash a darkly look, and the raven-haired man took another stance with the top of his blade dripping with blood.  
"I only cut your face on purpose," Ash said. 'If this was the wars, you'd be missing half of your head."  
"Then why not kill me and be done with it?!" Giovanni barked.   
"Because I intend to bring you and Markenel to justice," Ash answered.  
"Justice?!" Giovanni growled. "We are justice!"  
He rushed toward Ash, going for the offensive, but Ash was prepared for him. He held his ground as he blocked Giovanni's attacks, knowing that he had used the captain's plan to make him reckless against him. Persian also kept at the offensive after Pikachu smacked it in the face with Iron Tail, trying to hit the smaller Pokemon with Power Gem. Eventually, the captain and the classy cat Pokemon slowed down, and Ash and Pikachu went back to the offensive. Pikachu hit Persian several times with Iron Tail before hitting it with a powerful Thunderbolt, making it fall on its side, and within three mighty strokes, Ash knocked Giovanni's sword off his hand and held his blade close to his father's neck.   
Sonia, Miette, Sylveon, and Slurpuff cheered for Ash and Pikachu. Giovanni clenched his teeth at Ash, eyes filled with bitter loathing. Ash smirked as he held his sword closer to Giovanni's neck and said, "Yield."  
But at that moment, they heard the sound of metal and wood breaking. They turned their head to see a soldier's Rhyperior beginning to break through one of the cathedral's middle doors. The drill Pokemon's partner grinned and turned to Markenel, who was standing beside him.   
"Don't stop!" Markenel commanded. "Break it down now!"  
"You heard him, Rhyperior! Use Megahorn and do not stop until the door is in pieces!" the soldier ordered.   
Rhyperior let out a low chuckle before its horn glowed white and extended. It then stabbed at the center of the doors repeatedly, slowly but surely creating a hole. Ash, Pikachu, Sonia, Sylveon, Miette, and Slurpuff's confidence disappeared as it hit them that they were too far away to stop them with so many soldiers and Pokemon protecting Markenel, making Giovanni grin.  
Then suddenly, the Fletchling, Fletchinder, and Talonflame stopped fighting the soldiers and began flying all over the square, cawing loudly. Pokemon from both sides of the fight stopped what they were doing and looked up at the flock. Even the Rhyperior stopped attacking the cathedral doors and turned its head to the bird-like Pokemon.  
"What are you doing? Get back to destroying the door!" Markenel commanded.   
But the drill Pokemon didn't listen to the judge. The soldiers also rebuked their Pokemon for stopping the fight, but their partners ignored them. Ash, Sonia, Miette, and the rest of the mob looked at the flock in confusion before the raven-haired man turned to his partner with his sword still pointing at Giovanni.  
"Pikachu, what's going on?" He asked.   
Pikachu didn't say anything for a moment, its eyes focused on the flock, but then its eyes widened, and its ears perked up. It began shouting at the civilians and Arceans' Pokemon, causing them, including Sylveon and Slurpuff, to panic. Even some of the soldiers' Pokemon, including Persian, overheard Pikachu and become filled with terror.   
"Pikachu, for heaven sakes, what is it?!" Ash demanded.   
"Pika! Pika, Pika, Pi, Pi, Pikachu, Pi, Pikachu!" Pikachu screamed to its partner.   
"They're going to WHAT?!" Ash yelled.   
"Ash, what's happening?" Sonia asked.  
"We need to get out of here!" Ash shouted.  
"What? Why?" Miette asked.  
"There's no time to explain!" Ash shouted before turning to the mob. "Everyone, get out of the square! Run for your lives! Run!"  
The civilians and Arceans looked at Ash, confused, but eventually complied with their Pokemon dragging or carrying them away from Lumiose Cathedral. The Talonflame in Fletchling's flock picked up their injured and flew away. Slurpuff's eyes glowed blue, and it lifted Sonia and Miette up in the air with Miette still holding Sylveon and ran away with them. Pikachu hopped on Ash's shoulder, and Ash sheathed his sword before running to catch up with Slurpuff. Giovanni picked up his sword, seeing it as his chance to chase after them.   
Before Giovanni charged, however, a Carnivine ran past him, carrying the soldier that was its human partner using Vine Whip. Another soldier was being taken away by her Throh with her kicking and screaming. Another soldier's Mr. Mime ran away, carrying its partner and several other soldiers and Pokemon, who were beaten during the battle using Psychic. Giovanni turned around to find all of the soldiers' running away with their partners, having heard the flock's warning. Even the Rhyperior grew terrified and picked its partner up before running as fast as its legs could carry it.  
"Soldiers, get your Pokemon under control and get back here!" He ordered. He then felt Persian tugging him by his pants with its mouth and looked down at it, livid. " Let go of me!"  
"Mrrreeeooooooooowwww!!!" Persian meowed. "Rrrraaaaaaooooooowwww!!!"  
"I said, let go of me!" Giovanni shouted, kicking his foot away from Persian.   
Persian opened its mouth to warn its master but then stopped itself, realizing that Giovanni was not going to listen, and he did not have a deep enough bond with the classy cat Pokemon to understand it even if he did. Left with no other choice, Persian chose its life over staying with Giovanni and ran away as fast as possible with its injured body. Only Markenel and Giovanni remained, with the judge standing in front of the damaged door and his minion standing at the cathedral's stairs.   
"Captain Giovanni, get your troops back here at once!" Markenel commanded.   
Giovanni growled and raised his sword, screaming, "Come back here, you cowards! I command you to fall in line and -"  
His commanding was suddenly interrupted by a hot, yellow-orange liquid falling right on top of him. Markenel's eyes widened, and he stepped back until his back was against the cathedral door as copper poured all over in front of the cathedral, trapping him. The civilians, Arceans, and soldiers began running for their lives with their Pokemon, realizing the danger. Ash led Slurpuff to the other side of the square with the meringue Pokémon still carrying Sonia, Miette, and Sylveon with Psychic. They eventually stopped with Slurpuff putting its friends down, and they turned to the cathedral where its water spouts were still pouring copper all over the street.  
"What in the world is going on?!" Sonia asked. "Where did all of this copper come from?"  
"From Timothy and his Pokemon friends," Ash answered. "Pikachu said the Fletchling, Fletchinder, and Talonflame were warning everyone that they were going to dump that copper to force the soldiers back."  
"They poured copper from up there?! I can't believe it!" Miette yelled.  
"Slurpuff!" Slurpuff shouted in agreement.   
"Me neither, but it appears to have worked," Sonia said.   
"Yes, but what happens when they run out of copper?" Miette asked. "Won't the soldiers come back?"  
"The way they were running, I don't think they'll try to get into the cathedral anytime soon," Ash said with a triumphant smirk. "Besides, the important thing is Timothy, and his buddies protected Serena from -"  
"Sylveon!"  
Everyone turned to Sylveon, who jumped out of Miette's arms, screaming and pointing in the direction of the cathedral with one of its feelers. Ash, Pikachu, Sonia, and Miette looked at each other before they looked where the intertwining Pokemon was pointing, and their eyes widened, for between the waterfalls of molten copper, they saw Markenel still in front of the cathedral. He was glaring at the liquid metal, having figured out who was responsible. He turned to the hole that Rhyperior created and sheathed his sword before climbing through the hole inside the cathedral.   
"No!" Miette shouted.  
"He...he got in! All our efforts, and he still got inside!" Sonia shouted in disbelief.  
Ash clenched his teeth, and his hands turned into balls of fists.  
"We gotta get in there and stop him from killing Serena and Timothy!" He declared.   
"Pika, Pika!" Pikachu shouted.  
'Sylveon!" Sylveon yelled.   
"But how? There's practically a lake of hot copper separating us from the entrance," Sonia said.   
Ash looked down in thought and said, "There's a side entrance that Serena and Miette used to bring me to the bell tower after I got hit with an arrow. We'll use that."  
"But we'll have to go around to get there. Markenel might have killed them before we make it to the entrance," Miette said.  
"Not if we hurry," Ash said. "Besides, Timothy won't let anything happen to Serena, and he has Electchu, Shockwave, and Odyssey. Lord willing, they'll hold off Markenel until we get up there."  
"Arceus willing," Sonia muttered under her breath before saying out loud, "Let's not waste any time, then! We need to get up there and stop that madman once and for all!"  
Without another word, Ash, Pikachu, Sonia, Sylveon, Miette, and Slurpuff ran to the nearest street on the west side of the square and took a turn to the side entrance. As Ash raced down the road, he looked up at the cathedral towers and silently prayed that Timothy would continue to protect Serena.


	16. Chapter 16

Timothy, Electchu, Shockwave, and Odyssey laughed from the balcony where they dumped the copper onto the city square. The soldiers and their Pokemon were running for their lives and showed no sign of coming back. Neither of them saw Markenel or Giovanni among the people running away, but they were enjoying their victory too much to notice. They danced around the balcony floor that didn't have copper on it, jumping and twirling like children until Fletchling flew over to greet its friends.  
"Fletchling, the Pokemon of the hour!" Timothy praised. "Thank you so much for your help! We couldn't have done this without you and your friends!"  
"Fletchling!" Fletchling chirped.   
"Speaking of which, are your friends that got injured going to be okay?" Odyssey asked.   
"Fletch, Fletch, Fletchling, Fletch, Fletch, Fletchling, Fletchling," Fletchling answered.  
"Fletchling said they'll be alright. They know a place nearby in the woods where their wounded can get berries to heal and get some rest," Shockwave translated.  
"Glad to hear it," Timothy said. "But if anyone in your flock needs someplace in the city to heal up, you’re always welcome here, Fletchling."  
"Fletchling," Fletchling said with a nod before it turned around and flew to its flock.   
The hunchback and his companions waved goodbye to the flock as it flew away into the night sky. They started to giggle and dance again until Electchu said, "Hey, Serena will want to know about this."  
Timothy's eyes lit up, and he said, "Yes, you're right, Electchu. She must still be worried about her life. Let's go tell her the good news."  
The three Pokemon nodded before they all went back inside and raced up the stairs to the top balcony. Timothy kicked his bedroom door open and entered the room with glee.  
"We did it, Serena! We've driven them away! Come and see!" He shouted.  
Timothy kept his happy demeanor for a moment before he realized that Serena showed no movement. She was lying on his bed with her eyes closed just the way he left her. Timothy, Electchu, Shockwave, and Odyssey's smiles began to fade as the young man walked over to the woman on the bed.  
"Serena? Wake up. You're safe now," he said, shaking Serena.  
The honey blonde woman still showed no movement. Timothy tilted his head and turned Serena's head to face him, saying, "Serena?" He let go of her face, and it fell back on its side like a piece of wood. He stared at her, puzzled, until it came to him.   
"Oh, no," he said. "No. No. Dear Lord, no!"  
He shook Serena's body more with tears starting to come out of his eyes. Electchu, Shockwave, and Odyssey watched with heartbroken faces; neither wanted to say what was on their minds.   
"S-s-s-Serena," Timothy whimpered. "Don't do this. It's not fair. I-I-I saved you. Stay with me. Stay with me. You can't... Serena. Serena!"  
The young man broke down and pulled Serena's upper body to him. Tears fell down from his face like raindrops as he cradled her. Electchu took a step and opened its mouth, but Shockwave held its arm in front of the mouse Pokemon and shook its head. The Kirlia silently gestured to its companions to leave, and Electchu and Odyssey hesitated before they reluctantly agreed to leave their friend alone. The three Pokemon tiptoed to the bedroom door, and Odyssey gently closed it behind him.  
Timothy pulled Serena closer to him as he wept. His mind was filled with devastation as it hit him that his efforts once again amounted to nothing. All of his strength, his brainstorming, his friends aiding him, and he still couldn't save the one human being that mattered the most to him. He looked down to look at Serena's face, wishing she was giving him the same friendly smile that warmed his heart. Timothy laid her back down on the bed and buried his face on the edge of it as he continued to sob.  
But as he cried, the bedroom door slowly opened again, and orange and yellow light from the burning copper shone on the wall to reveal a tall shadow behind Timothy. The figure walked over to the hunchback and placed its bony hand on his head. Timothy's cries died down, and he lifted his head to whisper with anger in his voice.  
"You killed her."  
"Twas my duty," Markenel replied in a calm voice. "It breaks my heart as much as yours. I hope you can forgive me."  
Timothy gave no response. Markenel began petting his head as the hunchback buried his face with the bed again.   
"There, there, Timothy, my boy," Markenel said. "There's no need to cry anymore. It's time to release you from your suffering forever."  
Timothy lifted his head up again, wondering what Markenel meant, and his eyes widened to see Markenel's shadow holding up something sharp pointing at him. He turned around and grabbed Markenel's wrist just before the dagger pierced him in the eye. The judge clenched his teeth as he pushed the dagger closer to Timothy with a bloodthirsty look in his eyes. Timothy grew afraid of the psychotic way his adopted father glared at him, but his fear soon transformed into anger, and he gave Markenel's wrist a firm squeeze. The older man squealed as he dropped his dagger, and with a scream, Timothy pushed him back so hard that he knocked the judge off his feet.   
Markenel flew so far back that he almost slammed his head against the wall. He backed away to the wall on all fours, shaking as Timothy walked over to him with the dagger in his hand. At that moment, the hunchback felt a rush of power, seeing his chance to express his hatred for the man who lied to him, talked down to him, imprisoned his friends, murdered the woman he loved, and planned to burn everything she held dear. He wanted to make his enemy cry and beg while using his own weapon to make all the destruction, manipulation, pain, and death he caused take its toll, confident that it would be entirely justified.  
But then, Timothy stopped walking, and his hatred disappeared like a gust of wind. His mind went to the words from the holy book that he said to his master the night before, and the hand holding the dagger began to shake. Timothy's mouth quivered before he dropped the weapon and cried in shame. Markenel stopped shivering, and he looked between Timothy and the dagger before he slowly stood up.  
"Timothy," he said. "Timothy, listen to me."  
"No, you listen!" Timothy screamed. "All my life, you've told me that the world is a dark, cruel place, but now I see the only thing dark and cruel about it is people and Pokemon like you and your followers! You use your earthly power to do whatever you want and justify it by saying it's the will of the holy spirit, who you don't even know! Has it ever occurred to you that you might be fighting for the wrong thing? That maybe you don't have the power to do whatever horrible thing you want with no repercussions? Are you so deluded that you can't consider that you're the cause of all of the evil and corruption in the city?!"  
Markenel stopped focusing on the dagger and looked at Timothy, staggered. Never in his life had someone accused him of corruption or not knowing the God of All, and he was appalled that the once submissive hunchback would say it without fear of angering his master. Markenel couldn't believe that the power he had over Timothy was gone, and for one moment, he began to wonder if Timothy was right, but it passed away as soon as the two of them heard a soft groan. Timothy immediately stopped crying, and he turned around to find Serena sitting up and turning her head to him.  
"Timothy?" She asked.  
"Serena!" Timothy exclaimed.  
He rushed over and pulled Serena into a tight hug. The honey blonde woman didn't understand what was going on, but she smiled and returned the hug, glad to see that her friend was okay. Markenel was furious at the sight of Serena alive and had the same sweet smile on her face that filled his mind with sin. At that moment, he thought that she poisoned his adopted son's mind with her kind and noble heart, and he drew his sword. Serena opened her eyes at the sound of the blade coming out of the sheath and gasped.   
"Timothy!" She shouted.  
Timothy turned his head to see Markenel charging toward him, and he scooped Serena up and moved away before the sword cut down through him. Markenel went for another attack, but Timothy kicked him in the stomach while still holding Serena and ran out of the bedroom. The older man massaged his stomach before he raised his sword again and ran out the door.  
When Markenel went outside, however, there was no one on the balcony. He turned his head to the staircase close to Timothy's room on the south tower, but there was no sound of anyone climbing down the steps, and there was no chance his targets could have already made it inside the bell tower on the far other side. The judge furrowed his brow and looked around the balcony, knowing that Timothy and Serena are close.   
Markenel looked around until he heard someone grunting from the other side of the railing. He walked over to the railing and leaned over it to find Timothy holding on to one of the gargoyle heads below the railing. Serena was holding on to him with her arms around his neck.   
"Leaving so soon?" Markenel asked with a grin.   
He swung his sword down, and Timothy moved away before it sliced him. With Serena holding on to him for dear life, Timothy climbed from one gargoyle statue to another while Markenel chased after them. The judge swung his sword at them with every chance he had, but Timothy was too fast of a climber.   
Finally, Markenel swung his sword at a gargoyle that Timothy was holding on to, and the blade sliced halfway through the statue before it got stuck. Markenel tried to pull it out, but it was too deep into the stone. Seeing an opportunity, Timothy swung to another statue and climbed over the railing to safety. Serena got off Timothy's back before he grabbed her hand and led her to the staircase.   
"Serena, go down the steps as fast as you can," Timothy instructed. "Use the side entrance to get out of the tower and find Ash and Sonia."  
"What about you?" Serena asked.   
"I'll hold him off," Timothy answered.   
"No! I'm not leaving without you!" Serena shouted.   
"You have to! He's after you more than me!" Timothy shouted back. "Just get out of here! I'll catch up with you! I promise! Just run!"  
Serena hesitated before she reluctantly complied. Timothy watched his friend go down the steps with a small smile, content that he gave her the chance to escape. His smile soon disappeared when he heard Markenel getting his sword out of the statue. The two men turned around and glared at each other before Timothy charged toward Markenel. The judge raised his sword to attack, but Timothy grabbed it by the handle before he could swing down. Markenel tried to free his sword from the hunchback's grip, but Timothy was too strong.   
"It's too late, Master Markenel," Timothy said. "You'll never get to Serena again."  
Markenel let out an irritated growl and said, "I should have known you would risk your life to save the Arcean witch just as your own mother died trying to save you. Perhaps it's in your blood as an Arcean spawn."  
Timothy's glare weakened into a look of confusion, and he asked, "What?"  
Markenel grinned and said, "Yes, my boy. You are the son of an Arcean fugitive who resisted arrest and died trying to protect you. Were it up to me, I would have dropped you into the well and be done with it, but the archdeacon forced me to raise you." Timothy looked at him in such a state of shock that he didn't notice Markenel reaching for one end of his cloak. "And now, I'm going to do what I should have done twenty-one years ago.”  
Markenel threw his cloak at his face, and before the hunchback could react, he wrapped his cloak around his head, grabbed both ends of his cloak from behind with one hand still holding his sword, and pulled. Timothy reached for Markenel as he suffocated, but the judge used Timothy's large hunch to distance himself from his grasp. The twisted man shut his eyes and clenched his teeth as he pulled, letting out his hatred and disgust for the hunchback and spending so much of his life raising him. Timothy's body shook violently, desperate for air.  
Meanwhile, Serena was running down the steps before she stopped herself and looked back. She knew that she had a perfect chance to escape, but in her heart, she feared for Timothy's life. It didn't matter to her if she couldn't do anything against a madman with a sword. She wasn't going to abandon her friend. Serena turned around and raced back up the stairs, hoping she wasn't too late, but when she made it to the top, she only had a moment to find out what was happening before Timothy's body went limp.  
"TIMOTHY!!!" Serena screamed.   
The edges of Markenel's mouth spread out until half of his face was nothing but a big, sadistic grin. He dragged Timothy to the edge and pulled him over to the railing, but in his moment of pride, he forgot that his cloak was still attached to his robes. Timothy's heavy body pulled Markenel over the railing, and they both fell until Serena caught Timothy's hand with both hands.   
The older man whimpered in fear of the molten copper below as he hung dangling in the air with his cloak still wrapped around Timothy's head. He looked around until he saw that they were close to a gargoyle head and began swinging towards it. Serena fought the urge to let go of Timothy with Markenel making both of them swing until he caught the statue with his free hand. He pulled himself up and detached his cloak from his robes, making him able to stand up on the gargoyle head. The judge turned to Serena and grinned, realizing he was so close to her that he could cut off her head, and she would be too focused on holding on to Timothy to do anything. Serena turned her head to Markenel, and her eyes widened in terror as the old man cackled maniacally.   
"He will stand tall above the face of seduction, and he shall smite the wicked and plunge them into the fiery pit!" Markenel shouted.  
Serena shut her eyes and looked away, refusing to let go of Timothy for the sake of her own life. Suddenly, just as Markenel was about to attack, he felt thousands of volts of electricity, purple hearts, and soundwaves hit him. He dropped his sword and lost his balance, but just as he was about to fall, he caught the gargoyle head with both hands. The judge swung back and forth until he grabbed the back of the gargoyle with his legs, leaving him helplessly clinging to the statue for dear life. Serena turned to where the attacks came from and found Electchu, Shockwave, and Odyssey running toward her, having heard the commotion from inside the bell tower.  
"Electchu, Shockwave, Odyssey, please help!" Serena begged. "I don't know how much longer I can hold him!"  
The Pokemon were unsure of what she meant until they saw through the railing bars that she was holding Timothy's hand. Their eyes widened as they raced to the honey blonde woman and looked down from the ledge that Timothy was dangling with Markenel's cloak still wrapped around his head. Shockwave and Odyssey reached out for Timothy's hand through the bars, but their arms were too small. With the Pokemon unable to help her, Serena pulled with all of her strength, desperate to save Timothy, but deep down, she knew that it wasn't enough to prevent the inevitable. Electchu, Shockwave, and Odyssey could only watch as Timothy's hand slipped through Serena's fingers.  
"NO!!!" Serena screamed.   
"TIMOTHY!!!" Electchu, Shockwave, and Odyssey cried out.   
Markenel turned his head to watch Timothy plummet toward the copper below. Serena's mouth quivered until she got down on her knees and cried with her hands covering her face. Electchu, Shockwave, and Odyssey backed away from the railing and stared into space with tears running down their faces in states of shock before they ultimately wept for their beloved friend.  
Markenel smirked at the woman and the Pokemon, taking pleasure in their grief, but then he heard something crack, and he turned to see the gargoyle he was holding on to starting to break off from the ledge. His heart sank as it hit him that it was going to break, and he would meet Timothy's fate. He tried to think of a way to escape, but he was too afraid to move out of the possibility of making a mistake that would cause him to fall.   
But as Markenel looked around for a way to save himself, he looked up, and his heart suddenly felt calm. Standing on the railing was Maria looking down at him with a calm face, wearing fine robes, a crown on her head, and holding a scepter just like the cathedral statue of her. Markenel smiled brightly at her presence, paying no mind to the rest of the world. Then, he closed his mouth to give Maria a look of contentment.  
"Maria, I'm sorry that I failed," Markenel said. "It appears that the Enemy was too cunning, and my army was too weak to do my bidding. At least the Arcean beast is finally sent to hell where it belongs. I hope that is enough in your sight as your servant enters the Lord's rest."  
Maria stood still like a statue, and Markenel wondered if she heard him. After a moment, her serene smile turned to a sadistic grin, and she let out a maniacal laugh that sent shivers down Markenel's spine.   
"And who said you're going anywhere near there?" Maria asked mockingly.   
"W-what?" Markenel asked.   
Maria laughed again as she dropped the scepter, dug her fingers into her skin, and began ripping it off her. Markenel watched in shock as the person on the railing ripped off all of its skin and clothes to reveal a creature with skin covered in warts, boils, and open wounds revealing flesh and bones. Its finger and toenails were long, yellow, and covered in dirt, the eyes were yellow-orange with one bigger than the other, its nose was long and crooked, its lips were dry and bleeding, and it was missing teeth. The spirit shook its body until two black wings came out of its back, the left wing missing most of its feathers, and the right wing was bent funny. Never had Markenel seen anything so hideous in his life.   
Before Markenel knew it, five other demons appeared beside the one that disguised itself as Maria. Serena, Electchu, Shockwave, and Odyssey could not hear them cackling, for the impure spirits were only appearing to Markenel. The judge tightened its hold on the gargoyle as the demons laughed at him.   
"Get away! Get away from me!" Markenel screamed. "In the name of God, I command you to depart to the abyss where you come from!"  
But the demons laughed harder, and one of them said, "'I command you,' he says. Ain't that adorable?"  
"Must have overdone it when we let him believe he's some holy man," another demon said.   
"W-w-what are you talking about?" Markenel stuttered. "And how dare you impersonate the blessed Maria herself. God help you when she finds out."  
"She won't do anything to us," the demon who disguised himself said. "The real Mary holds no such power. You've deluded yourself into thinking a mortal woman was higher than the Lord of All."  
"Lies!" Markenel yelled. "You're nothing but servants of the devil who speak nothing but deception!"  
"Normally, that's true, but the truth is far too much fun not to tell," the leading demon said. "You should have listened to your adopted son when he said those verses last night and stood up against you moments ago. Our maker did command you, humans, to love one another whether, and only he decides what your eternal fate is. Despite the warning, you considered yourself righteous and without fault when you've committed so much sin that you claimed to be justified. Never once did you genuinely repent and ask the Son of Man to forgive you: the only way you can be saved."  
"And that's why we put on a little show for you in your bedroom the other night," one demon said. "We knew if we told you that you are rightfully to blame for lusting for Serena with one of us under the guise of your idol, your pride would keep you from believing it, and when you declared that your solution was the right way, we built up your confidence so that you believed that you were in the right."  
"And what beautiful destruction you caused to so many innocent lives," another demon said. "It's a shame you didn't burn the whole pagan lot, but I think our master will be satisfied with collecting you."  
"No! You're making things up!" Markenel claimed.   
"Are we?" The demon who disguised itself as Maria challenged. "You knew those verses the hunchback said were from the holy word, yet you still ignored them. Meanwhile, the enemy tried to show you what he wanted you to do through so many people and Pokemon. Archdeacon Sycamore, Sister Sophie, Timothy, Ash, the miller and his family, Serena, Sonia, all of their Pokemon, he used them all to reach out to you through the love and compassion they displayed."  
"Blasphemy!" Markenel barked. "The Lord would not dare use the wicked to reach out to me."  
"God can use anything, even the sinners, to teach things to you creatures," the leader said. "If you bothered to pay more attention to his word, you would have known that. Instead, you have spent all of your years living in rebellion and defiance against him without shame. You are no more a disciple of the Lord than the people and Pokemon you tried to wipe out of existence, and now you will join us in eternity away from him."  
Markenel opened his mouth to contradict the spirits again, but deep in his heart, he knew they were right. The judge thought about everything he did in his life and the Bible passages that he had read throughout his life, realizing how much he distanced himself from the one he claimed to be a soldier for with his sin. The demons started laughing again as they watched reality hit Markenel.  
"Pretty ironic that you're going to the flames of hell that you tried to send Serena to, isn't it?" The leading demon said. "That copper isn't even a taste of what you're in for, pal."  
Markenel whined loudly with the thought of the fires of hell filling him with terror. He tightened his hold on the gargoyle, but it wasn't long before it broke off completely, and he began plummeting to his doom. The demons cheered and jumped off the railing to fall with him, acting like delinquent children jumping off a cliff into a lake. With their mischievous laughs ringing in his ear, Markenel felt all hope leave his spirit, and all he could do was scream until he landed on the molten copper.


	17. Chapter 17

Ash ran faster than the rest of the group as they went up the cathedral stairs. Sonia, Miette, Pikachu, Sylveon, and Slurpuff ran as best as possible behind him, with Sylveon and Miette's faces filled with fear. The closer they got to the cathedral towers, the more they were afraid to find out that they were too late to save Serena, but Ash refused to let the possibility enter his mind. He trusted that Timothy and Serena were both alive and waiting for everyone to come and save them.   
The group ran to the top of the staircase closest to the west side entrance, and Ash said, "Alright, we just need to get to the staircase from the other side of this hallway, and we'll be at the top."  
"But what if we don't get there in time?" Miette asked.  
"Don't think like that, Miette," Sonia rebuked. "You heard what Ash said. Timothy's going to keep protecting Serena." The peach-haired woman turned her head away from the blunette and muttered with a dark look on her face, "And if he fails, there's nowhere for Markenel to run."  
"Come on, guys. Don't stop. Serena and Timothy are waiting for us," Ash said.   
"Pikachu," Pikachu said.  
"Sylveon," Sylveon said.  
"Slurpuff," Slurpuff said.  
The six of them raced toward the stairs to the south tower. Ash kept his determined face with Sonia and Pikachu, while Miette's mind was still filled with doubt. But when they were halfway through the hallway, they heard a loud, maniacal cackle coming from above them and their hearts grew still, instantly recognizing Markenel's voice. They ran to the closest window, and Ash, Sonia, and Miette leaned their heads out the window to find Serena holding on to Timothy while Markenel was on one of the gargoyle heads, raising his sword at Serena.   
"He will stand tall above the face of seduction, and he shall smite the wicked and plunge them into the fiery pit!" They heard Markenel shout.  
"No!" Sonia shouted.  
"Serena! Timothy!" Ash yelled.   
"We're too late!" Miette whined.   
But before Markenel could attack, he was hit by a beam of electricity, purple hearts, and soundwaves. He lost his balance and caught the statue before falling to his death, losing his sword in the process. Ash, Serena, and Miette smiled in relief until they saw Serena lose her grip on Timothy.  
"NO!" they heard Serena scream.   
Ash, Sonia, and Miette's eyes widened with Miette gasping as Timothy fell. She turned to her Pokemon partner and shouted, "Slurpuff, catch Timothy with Psychic, now!" Slurpuff only had a moment to realize what was happening from how well it could see through the window before its eyes glowed blue, and Timothy stopped falling in midair with a blue outline surrounding his body. Everyone sighed in relief until Ash noticed the clock wrapped around Timothy's head.  
"Slurpuff, bring him over here, quick!" He shouted.   
The meringue Pokémon levitated over to them and gently laid him down on the ground on his back. It took a moment for Sonia, Miette, Pikachu, Sylveon, and Slurpuff to realize Markenel's cloak before Ash knelt down and took it off Timothy's head. Ash's heart sank at the sight of Timothy's pale, lifeless face, and Miette knelt down to Timothy's other side to learn her ear against his chest.   
"I can't feel a heartbeat!" she panicked.  
Sonia furrowed her brow and shouted, "Back away, you two!"  
Ash and Miette stood up and stepped back as Sonia got down on her knees, pinched Timothy's nose, and breathed air into his mouth. She then placed her hands at the center of Timothy's chest and used her body weight to push down multiple times as fast as she could. Sonia repeated the process with Ash's hands turned into fists, Slurpuff holding Miette's hand, and Pikachu and Sylveon standing close to each other. Again and again, Sonia breathed into Timothy's mouth and pushed down on his chest until she stopped to see no movement and turned to her friends to shake her head.  
"No!" Ash yelled.   
He knelt down to Timothy's other side and began slamming his fist on Timothy's chest, clenching his teeth as he hit it with all of his might. Miette and the Pokemon silently started to cry for their friend while Sonia looked at him sympathetically.   
"Ash, stop it. He's gone," she said.  
"No! I can still save him!" Ash shouted, still slamming his fist on Timothy's chest. "Come on, Timothy! Don't give up now! Come back! Come back! Come back!!!"  
With the final time shouting, "Come back," Ash slammed his fist on Timothy's chest as hard as he could, and the hunchback suddenly gasped and sprung up into a sitting position. He put his hand on his chest and turned to Ash, whose eyes lit up before pulling his friend into a hug. Pikachu, Sylveon, and Slurpuff cheered while Miette sighed in relief with her hand on her heart, and Sonia smiled, happy that she was wrong. Timothy looked at his surroundings as color returned to his face.   
"What's going on?" He asked.   
"You fell off the balcony, and Slurpuff caught you with Psychic. Ash just revived you," Sonia answered.  
"He...he did?" Timothy asked.   
Ash moved back and gave Timothy a toothy grin. The hunchback smiled and pulled Ash into a tight hug, making Ash chuckle as he patted his back. The two of them held on to their hug until Timothy remembered the last thing that happened before he died and jumped to his feet.   
"Where's Serena and Master Markenel?" He asked.   
Before anyone could answer, they heard the sound of someone screaming coming from outside. They walked over to the window just in time to see Markenel and the gargoyle's head falling past them.   
"Master Markenel!" Timothy called out.  
The judge could not hear him with the impure spirits laughing and the fear of hell flooding his mind. Everyone watched as Markenel fell into the copper and burned away in an instant. Miette's face lit up like a child, and Sonia grinned and spat at where her enemy died. Sylveon and Slurpuff cheered and danced, while Ash and Pikachu were disappointed that they couldn't bring Markenel to justice.   
Timothy, on the other hand, stared at where his adopted father landed. Despite how much he hated Markenel for all of the horrible things he did, he couldn't help but be sad for the man who raised him, knowing deep in his heart that Markenel did not change his ways before the end. Yet, at the same time, he felt free with Markenel no longer there to harm him or his friends.   
As he thought about that, he suddenly remembered Serena and turned to Ash, asking, "Did Serena escape?"   
"Escape? She was up there with you," Ash said.  
"No, she shouldn't be. I told her to run while I hold off Master Markenel, and she went down the steps," Timothy said.  
"Well, she obviously came back because we saw her trying to keep you from falling up there," Sonia said. "She might still be up there right now."  
Timothy looked at the peach-haired woman, surprised, before he rushed over to the south tower staircase with everyone running behind him. They went up the stairs to the top balcony where Serena was still crying on her knees with her hands covering her face while Electchu, Shockwave, and Odyssey stood beside her as they cried. Electchu's ears perked up at the sound of their steps and it turned around to see Timothy.  
"TIMOTHY!" Electchu screamed.   
Shockwave and Odyssey turned their heads just in time to see Electchu jump into Timothy's arms. They paused for a moment before their eyes lit up, and they tackled him to the ground. Serena lifted her head, and she watched the Pokemon hug their friend in shock, unsure of whether or not to believe what she was seeing. Timothy, Electchu, Shockwave, and Odyssey laughed as they embraced until the Kirlia's face turned serious and it slapped Timothy in the face.   
"Don't ever do that to us again!" It barked.   
"I'm sorry," Timothy said.   
His gaze then turned to Serena, who looked back at him while still in a state of shock as she stood up. Timothy smiled, and the Pokemon got off him so he could get up and walk over to Serena. The honey blonde woman stood still for another moment before she smiled with tears in her eyes and hugged her friend tightly. Timothy closed his eyes, and his smile grew as he hugged her back. When they broke their hug, Serena stared at her friend until she noticed Ash standing a few feet behind Timothy, and her heart skipped a beat. Timothy turned his head to see where Serena was looking, and he smiled as he turned back to face her.  
"Go to him," he said.  
Serena turned back to Timothy and gave him a sweet look that melted his heart. She put her hand on his cheek for a moment before she ran into Ash's arms. The two of them held each other tight before they moved their heads back and leaned in for a passionate kiss, with Serena running her fingers through Ash's hair and Ash pulling her close to deepen the kiss. Pikachu and Sylveon smiled warmly for their partners before they turned to each other and began nuzzling. Miette and Slurpuff watched with the blunette woman's hands clasped together and held up to her chest as she shed a happy tear. Sonia smirked and nodded in approval while Electchu, Shockwave, and Odyssey stood beside Timothy.   
"Are you going to be okay, Timothy?" Odyssey asked.   
Timothy turned his head to the Riolu and gave it a small smile.   
"Yeah, I will be," he answered. "I said I want to make Serena happy, and now I know that means letting her go."  
Electchu, Shockwave, and Odyssey smiled, and the latter two patted him on the back with pride. Ash and Serena eventually broke their kiss, and Serena knelt down for Sylveon to jump into her arms. Sonia and Miette got on their knees to form a group hug with Slurpuff. They held on to their hug until Sonia saw Timothy watching them with Ash, Pikachu, Electchu, Shockwave, and Odyssey. She stood up, took the hunchback’s hand with both hands, and held it up to her with a smile.   
"Thank you so much for saving her," Sonia said.  
Timothy smiled back and said, "Thank you for helping me protect her."  
Sonia's smile turned into a smirk, and she nodded. Serena, Sylveon, Miette, and Slurpuff broke their hug, smiling at each other until Serena noticed cuts and bruises on Sylveon's body and gasped.  
"Sylveon, what happened to you?" She asked.  
"Oh, yeah. It took a hit from my father's Persian using Power Gem," Ash said, scratching the back of his head.  
"Pika," Pikachu said sadly.  
"Oh, Sylveon, you poor thing," Serena said, petting her Pokemon before turning to Ash. "Where is your father now?"  
Ash furrowed his brow and took a moment to think about it before he answered, "Now that you mention it, I haven't seen him since before Timothy poured all of that copper on the square. He probably just ran away with the rest of his troops."  
Serena gave Ash a weird look as though he spoke random gibberish. Timothy chuckled while scratching the back of his head and said, "Why don't we all go to the bell tower to feed our Pokemon some berries and let them rest while we explain everything."  
"Good idea," Sonia said.   
With that, the five humans and six Pokemon went inside the north tower, and Timothy walked ahead to his room under the bells to take out the bag of berries from the cupboard. He laid a pile of berries on the floor, and Pikachu, Sylveon, Electchu, Shockwave, Odyssey, and Slurpuff gathered around and started eating together. Serena smiled as she watched Sylveon's injuries slowly disappear as it ate until she noticed some of Timothy's wooden figures lying on the floor and turned her head to see more of them scattered across the room along with pieces of his model city. She was devastated by what Markenel did to Timothy's carvings, but he assured her that only the buildings were destroyed and they could be replaced.  
Ash, Serena, Timothy, Sonia, and Miette sat down on the floor in a circle and began exchanging stories. As they talked, the Pokemon finished eating and laid down on the floor to rest. Pikachu and Sylveon laid down next to each other with the intertwining Pokemon holding the one it loved close with its feelers as they slept. When the humans finished exchanging stories, Serena was astonished by everything she missed when she was unconscious.   
"Wow, you guys did all of that to protect me?" She asked.   
"Of course, we did. We love you, Serena," Miette said.   
"Plus, it felt great for all of us to band together and stand up to Markenel," Sonia said with a grin.   
"I can imagine," Serena said before she turned to Ash and Timothy. "I'm proud of both of you for standing up to your fathers like that."  
Ash scratched the bottom of his nose with a toothy grin, and Timothy looked away shyly, making Serena giggle. The room grew silent apart from the sound of the Pokemon sleeping, with everyone suddenly feeling uneasy.   
"So what do we do now?" Miette asked.   
Sonia frowned and said, "Well, with no one coming to arrest us anymore, I guess we should find our people and Pokemon and go back to the Court of Miracles."  
Ash frowned and said, "You shouldn't have to do that."  
"Where else can we go?" Sonia asked.  
Ash took a moment to think about what to say before he answered, "We could find a place for the Arceans to stay in the city."  
Sonia smirked and shook her head before saying, "That's a nice thought, Ash, but I don't see that working out. The people of Lumiose City may have banded together with us to fight against a common enemy, but we still are dirt to them."  
"Come on, Sonia, you know that isn't true," Serena said. "Those people and Pokemon were protesting against Markenel imprisoning us and for the charges against me."  
Miette took a moment to think about it and said, "That's true. They did do that."  
"And civilians were hiding Arceans here in the city because they didn't agree to Markenel's views against you," Ash said. "Trust me, I was forced to arrest a lot of people and Pokemon who were doing that."  
"They also persecuted Timothy for being different," Sonia pointed out. "Hating people and Pokemon for that is not something that only Markenel and his soldiers did."  
Timothy winced from the Feast of Fools being brought up while Ash said, "You're right. There are people and Pokemon like that no matter what, but that doesn't mean you should overlook the ones who want to help those in need."  
"And besides, I don't think it's right to talk about what Timothy went through when you didn't try to defend him," Serena added.   
Sonia hesitated and looked away, scratching her chin while Miette looked up at the ceiling and played with her fingers. Serena turned her head to give Timothy a proud smirk that made the hunchback chuckle.   
"That's...fair," Sonia said before turning her head back to face Ash and Timothy. "But isn't it against your religion to associate with us?"  
"Not at all," Ash said. "God commanded us to love one another no matter who they are."  
Sonia looked at Ash as if he made a funny face, and Miette tilted her head.  
"That doesn't make sense. If that's what your god commands, then why the dickens has Markenel caused so much pain and destruction in your god's name?" The peach-haired woman questioned.   
"Because that's what Master Markenel tricked himself into believing even though the Bible says otherwise," Timothy explained. "He based his beliefs on whatever parts of the Bible fancied him and ignored everything else. He's been teaching me those specific passages all my life."  
"It's true. I was talking to the Archdeacon after the Feast of Fools, and he said the same thing," Serena said.  
"Really?" Miette asked.   
"Really," said a voice behind them.   
Everyone turned to see Archdeacon Sycamore and Sister Sophie entering the room. The group stood up with Ash and Timothy briefly bowing their heads as the Archdeacon walked over to them.   
"It is as I said to Serena," Archdeacon Sycamore began. "Many people in history twist the holy words into false doctrines for their selfish ways, and unfortunately, Markenel uses his power to persecute your people and Pokemon based on such beliefs."  
"You mean used his power," Miette corrected.   
Archdeacon Sycamore and Sister Sophie looked at the blunette woman, confused, and the latter asked, "What do you mean, child?"  
"Were you not there when he got inside your church?" Serena asked.   
The two church members looked at Serena, shocked, and Archdeacon Sycamore answered, "We were praying for protection when Minister Markenel's troops were attacking the doors until something drew them away. If Markenel came in, it must have been when we were too focused praising the Lord that Serena was safe. But, if he got in, then where is he now?"  
"He's dead," Ash answered plainly. "He fell into the molten copper Timothy used to drive his army away."  
Archdeacon Sycamore and Sister Sophie looked down and crossed themselves as the former said with a sigh, "May God have mercy on his soul."  
"Amen," Sister Sophie said.  
Ash and Timothy bowed their heads again and crossed themselves while Serena, Miette, and Sonia did nothing. Timothy remembered the last thing his adopted father ever said to him during the moment of silence, and he walked over to the archdeacon, feeling uneasy.   
"Excuse me, Your Excellency," he said. "Before he died, Master Markenel said that my mother was an Arcean who died trying to save me, and you forced him to raise me. Is it true?"  
Ash, Serena, Miette, and Sonia looked at the hunchback, shocked, while Sister Sophie was dumbfounded that the judge told Timothy the truth. Archdeacon Sycamore, however, had a crestfallen look and sighed heavily.  
"Yes, it's true," he answered. "Your mother sneaked into the city with a couple of other Arceans, and when Markenel ambushed them, she fled and tried to claim sanctuary here. By the time Sister Sophie and I reached the door, your mother was lying on the cathedral steps dead, and Markenel was about to drop you into the well, claiming that you are a demon because of how you look. I convinced him to see that what he did was a great sin, and he asked for forgiveness, claiming he would do anything to make amends. My hope was by taking you in and raising you as his son, despite how you look or what you are, he might learn to see the error in everything he was doing. I suppose, in the end, his heart was too hard to really love anything more than his lonely soul."  
Timothy looked at the archdeacon in disbelief, and he took a step back with his head down. Serena walked over to him and placed her hand on his hunch for support.  
"What happened to her body?" Timothy asked.  
"It's in a mass burial site at the city graveyard," Archdeacon Sycamore answered. "I'll be glad to take you there if you wish."  
Timothy kept looking down for a moment and said, "I would appreciate that, sir."  
The archdeacon smiled back and nodded. Serena also smiled and patted her friend until the moment was broken by Sonia lightly chuckling.  
"Well, I'll be doggone," she said. "You're an Arcean kid this whole time? That's just funny."  
"I may be from an Arcean family, but that doesn't mean I'll change my faith," Timothy said.  
Sonia chuckled again and said, "No, I suppose not. In any case, this does further prove to me that things aren't as black and white as I thought. If what you guys are saying is true, then perhaps there is a way we can all be friends, citizens, and Arceans together."  
Miette turned her head to her leader, baffled that she was suddenly on board with the idea, while everyone smiled with a look of hope in Ash and Serena's eyes, in particular.  
"I am pleased to hear that," Archdeacon Sycamore said. "I believe we will have a lasting friendship as long as we listen to each other."  
"Let's not jump to conclusions, Your Holiness, or however you're supposed to be addressed," Sonia said, waving her hand. "I may be on board, but that doesn't mean the Arceans as a whole will be willing even if I'm their leader."  
"Don't worry, Sonia. We'll figure something out," Ash said with a toothy grin.  
"Yeah, anything is possible with Markenel gone," Serena said as she took Ash's hand.  
Sonia stared at the couple with a raised eyebrow before she chuckled again and shook her head.  
"Optimistic, confident, cheerful; you two deserve each other," she commented.   
"I second that," Miette said.  
Archdeacon Sycamore, Sister Sophie, and Timothy chuckled while Ash and Serena just smiled at their friends before giving each other loving looks. The room was silent for a third time until Timothy noticed light coming from the window and said, "Look, it's morning."  
Everyone turned to the window to see the sky was light blue, and Ash chuckled, saying, "I guess we've been up all night."  
"Yeah, I guess so," Serena said.   
"Then we should wake up our Pokemon and start looking for the rest of us, Arceans, right, Sonia?" Miette asked.  
Sonia nodded with an "Mmmm," and said, "The sooner, the better. I hope no one ran out of the city."  
Archdeacon Sycamore, Sister Sophie, Ash, and Serena nodded in agreement, and Timothy decided to walk over to wake up the Pokemon for his friends. He gently nudged Pikachu, Sylveon, and Slurpuff first, with the two smaller Pokemon giving each other a good morning nuzzle. Timothy then woke up Electchu, Shockwave, and Odyssey, and the three of them yawned and stretched before turning to their longtime friend.   
"Good morning, guys," Timothy said.  
"Morning, Timothy," the Pikachu, Kirila, and Riolu replied. Odyssey turned to see Archdeacon Sycamore and Sister Sophie and asked, "What did we miss?"  
Timothy smiled and opened his mouth to answer before he heard a faint sound coming from the window. He walked over to it and looked down to see people and Pokemon all over the city, citizens and Arceans alike, walking to the city square, cheering. Ash, Serena, Sonia, Miette, Archdeacon Sycamore, Sister Sophie, and all of the Pokemon walked over to Timothy to see what was happening, and Ash smirked before turning to the peach-haired woman.  
"Seems like finding all of the Arceans won't be a problem," Ash said.  
"Look at everybody walking together," Serena said with a bright smile.   
"I suggest we go downstairs and meet them," Archdeacon Sycamore said.  
Without another word, Ash, Serena, Pikachu, Sylveon, Sonia, Miette, Slurpuff, Archdeacon Sycamore, and Sister Sophie started exiting the room. Serena was halfway across with Ash before turning her head to see Timothy still standing beside the window with Electchu, Shockwave, and Odyssey.  
"Timothy, are you coming?" She asked.  
The hunchback frowned and said, "No, I don't think that's a good idea."  
Everyone stopped walking and turned to the hunchback.  
"What are you talking about?" Ash asked. "You don't have to worry about disobeying Markenel anymore."  
"Master Markenel may be gone, but he was right about how people and Pokemon will treat me," Timothy said. "I don't want to go out there to see everyone who hates the way I look."  
"Not everyone. I can guarantee that none of the Arceans will hate you after everything you've done for us," Sonia said with a smile. "And those who do will answer to me."  
"Maybe so, but what about everyone who attacked me at the Feast of Fools?" Timothy asked.  
Sonia frowned and looked away, scratching the back of her head. The rest of the adults tried to think of something to say until Ash remembered what he overheard and the festival and walked over to Timothy.   
"Timothy, there's something you should know about what happened at the festival," he said. "After you were crowned the King of Fools, I saw Markenel whisper something to my father, and he left to do something. The next thing I knew, the soldiers were throwing food at you, and my father came back with him and Markenel smirking at each other. When I asked for permission to stop the crowd, Markenel said to wait and that a lesson needed to be learned. I can't confirm this for a fact, but I believe Markenel and the captain were behind you being harassed that day."  
Electchu, Shockwave, and Odyssey's eyes widened with the Kirlia covering its mouth. Miette, Slurpuff, and Sister Sophie also looked at the raven-haired man in astoundment while Serena, Pikachu, and Sylveon frowned, unsurprised. Sonia's hands turned into balls of fists from learning another one of the deeds of her fallen enemy while Archdeacon Sycamore sighed and shook his head in disappointment. Timothy was also shocked for a moment, but his frown soon returned, and he looked down.  
"Maybe so, but his point was still made," he said. "Even if his soldiers started it, the people and Pokemon didn't hesitate to join in."  
Ash furrowed his brow until Serena placed her hand on his shoulder and gave him a face that said, "Let me handle this." She walked over to Timothy and gently turned his head to face her with a warm smile.  
"Timothy, you can't let what happened at the festival keep you from never leaving the cathedral again," she said. "After all, it's like Ash said, there are always going to be bad people and Pokemon out there, but there are people and Pokemon who will see you for the great person you are as we all do. More than likely, there will be lots of them who already do after they've seen everything you did last night. And besides, I'll be with you this time. We all will be with you, so don't keep yourself shut from the world."  
Timothy dithered, wanting to trust Serena despite the fear in his heart. He then felt Shockwave take his right hand, Odyssey taking his left hand, and Electchu tugging his pants so that he would look down to see them smiling supportively. He then turned to everyone else, and Ash gave him a toothy grin, Pikachu and Sylveon smiled cutely, Miette and Slurpuff nodded, Sonia smirked and winked, and Archdeacon Sycamore and Sister Sophie gave him small smiles. The hunchback continued to hesitate until he ultimately decided that he wouldn't escape it when it was twelve against one.  
"Okay. I'll go," he said.  
Serena smiled brightly and took Timothy's hand. Together, they all left the bell tower and went down the stairs to the cathedral's center doors. Through the hole that Rhyperior made, they could see that the copper had cooled down and fused with the stone ground all over the square. People and Pokemon were celebrating together, some of them hugging or shaking hands regardless of who the other person or Pokemon were. Ash, Serena, Sonia, Miette, Archdeacon Sycamore, and Sister Sophie smiled before the raven-haired man opened the doors, and they went outside with their Pokemon.  
When the civilians and Arcean saw Ash, Serena, and Sonia come out of the building, they roared with thunderous applause. Ash and Serena held hands and raised them into the air while Sonia shook her fist. Some of the Arceans, including Viola and Alexa, ran over to hug Serena, thrilled that she was alive. When they finished hugging the honey blonde woman, Sonia walked over to the two sisters and patted Alexa's shoulder to grab their attention.   
"Where did everyone go when we all ran away from the copper?" She asked.   
The sisters looked at each other before Alexa answered, "From what we've been gathering, everyone's been staying with civilians whose houses weren't burned down."  
"Yeah, we were staying with a fisherman named Rodman, waiting for things to blow over," Viola said.  
"What about Captain Giovanni and his soldiers and Pokemon?" Sonia asked.  
"No one has seen the captain, but some civilians have seen his army leave the city," Alexa answered. "It sounded like they have no idea what to do with the judge and captain not there to command them."  
Sonia smiled and walked back to the steps of Lumiose Cathedral where Ash, Serena, Miette, Archdeacon Sycamore, and Sister Sophie were with their Pokemon. She stepped in front of Ash and said, "The soldiers apparently ran out of the city after the copper forced them back. Let's share that along with the big news."  
Ash smirked and nodded before shouting, "Everyone, can I have your attention, please?!"  
It took a moment before the entire square was silent. Serena continued to hold Ash's hand while her beloved continued.   
"From what I have been told, Minister Markenel's army has fled; as far as we know, for good!" Ash announced. "Furthermore, we can confirm that the judge minister has fallen to his death!"  
The crowd cheered again, and Sonia waited until she was given a chance to speak.   
"What's more, I have discussed things with Ash and the archdeacon of Lumiose Cathedral, and we have decided to make peace with the citizens of Lumiose City and the Arceans!" She shouted.  
The Arceans looked at their leader, baffled, and Viola asked, "Why would we do that to the people who have persecuted us?"  
"Because what Minister Markenel did to us actually goes against the religion the people and Pokemon of the city follow!" Sonia explained.  
"But that doesn't change everything that has happened to us!" An Arcean shouted.   
The rest of the people and Pokemon said words of agreement, making Ash, Serena, Sonia, Miette, Archdeacon Sycamore, and Sister Sophie nervous. The honey blonde woman furrowed her brow and let go of Ash's hand to step forward.  
"You're right! There are so many things that cannot be undone just because we do not share the same faith, but we cannot let what happened stop us from becoming friends!" She shouted. "I have seen some of you be cruel to someone different, but I have also seen citizens of this city, who have good hearts and do not judge us for who we are! I've also heard from Ash, Sonia, and Miette how all of you banded together to fight against Markenel's forces to protect me! I'm not saying it will be easy, but we cannot let that stop us from coming together when there's no longer anyone who can keep us apart!" She then stood next to Ash and wrapped her arm around his arm for everyone to see. "I am in love with this man, and my Pokemon partner is in love with his partner despite our different faiths! The odds are there will be challenges because of our differences, but I am willing to face them because he means that much to me!" She then turned to Ash and said, "That is if he feels the same for me."  
Ash gave Serena a toothy grin, and he said, "More than you know."  
Serena beamed, and she pulled the raven-haired man into a kiss. Some of the people in the crowd cheered and whistled as Ash pulled Serena closer to him.   
"Well, there you have it!" Sonia shouted. "If those lovebirds are willing to be together, then I say we have no reason for us not to come together."  
"As the head of the church, I agree with Sonia's declaration!" Archdeacon Sycamore said, stepping forward. "Let us join together in fellowship and rebuild our city so that we can all live together in peace!"  
The crowd cheered in agreement, and some citizens and Arceans took it upon themselves to already begin to introduce themselves and their Pokemon to each other. Everyone standing on the steps of Lumiose City smiled as they watched until Ash spoke again.  
"And let us not forget the man who gave us the chance to fight the enemy by rescuing the woman I love and driving Markenel's army away when everything could have been lost, the Lumiose Cathedral bell ringer, Timothy!" He declared.   
The crowd cheered again until they began to wonder where Timothy was. Serena turned to the cathedral doors to find Timothy still standing in the shadows with Electchu, Shockwave, and Odyssey. She smiled as she walked inside, offering her hand, and the hunchback hesitated until his Pokemon companions pushed him forward to take her hand. Serena took Timothy outside with Electchu, Shockwave, and Odyssey following behind, and the young man covered his eyes to block the sun before looking at the crowd.   
For a minute, an awkward silence filled the air with Timothy growing uneasy with everyone looking at him. Then, he saw the blonde man with the Jolten who paralyzed him at the Feast of Fools stepping out of the crowd and walking over to him. Serena stopped Timothy from stepping back as the man took off his hat and lowered his head with a guilty look.  
"Hi, Timothy," he greeted without looking Timothy in the eye. "Uh, my name is Volkner, and I was the guy who had my partner paralyze you at the festival."  
"Jolteon," Volkner's Jolteon said ashamedly.   
Timothy tried to move back again, but Serena, Electchu, Shockwave, and Odyssey stopped him. Volkner rubbed his arm before he continued.   
"Look, I'm sorry for what we did," he said. "It was cruel and immature, and I wish we could undo it. Can you find it in your heart to forgive us?"  
For a moment, Timothy did nothing but stare at the man with spiky blonde hair. He was taken aback by his apology and how he and his partner were nervous about whether or not he would forgive them. Timothy hesitated until Serena gave him an encouraging smile, and he knew what he had to do.  
"Yes. Yes, I forgive you," he said.  
Volkner let out a breath he didn't know he was holding, and he took Timothy's hand to shake it. The hunchback was uneasy by the action, having never shaken someone's hand before, but he eased up once he accepted that the man was friendly. Volkner's Jolteon also sighed in relief and decided to greet Electchu, Shockwave, and Odyssey. Everyone else smiled with Serena proud of her friend for forgiving the person and Pokemon who trespassed against him. Other citizens and their Pokemon joined in to apologize to Timothy, and he also forgave them. When Timothy had finished forgiving everyone who came to him, Sonia took it upon herself to make the celebration continue.   
"Three cheers for Timothy!" She shouted.  
Everyone in the square cheered and applauded around Timothy, making him feel bashful. Two men, one a civilian and the other an Arcean, picked him up on their shoulders and began carrying him around the square. With so many people in Pokemon cheering and praising him, Timothy felt overwhelmed with the biggest smile he ever made in his life. Ash, Serena, Sonia, Miette, Pikachu, Sylveon, Slurpuff, Archdeacon Sycamore, and Sister Sophie smiled as they watched their friend be carried around the square from the cathedral steps. Odyssey was tearing up with Shockwave patting its back while Electchu jumped up and down, cheering.   
"I-I-I'm so proud of him," Odyssey cried hysterically.   
"We all are, Odyssey," Shockwave said.  
"And to think with Master Markenel gone, we can all go outside the cathedral whenever we want," Electchu said before adding with a cheeky grin, "And maybe I'll finally find my very special mate while at it."  
Shockwave furrowed its brow and stopped patting Odyssey to glare at Electchu with its hands on its hips.  
"Now you listen here, you hopeless dolt," the Kirlia began. "I've had it with your fantasies. All I’ve heard from you for Lord knows how long is you dreaming about getting together with an eeveelution. If your pompous irritating self couldn't woo Serena's Sylveon worth spit, then what hope do you have for any Pokemon thinking for one second that they would -?"  
"Espeon."  
"Glaceon."  
Electchu, Shockwave, and Odyssey turned their head to see a female Espeon and Glaceon walking toward them. Odyssey tilted its head while Shockwave became unsettled as they saw Espeon and Glaceon walk toward Electchu with kittenish looks that gave the mouse Pokemon goosebumps. Shockwave and Odyssey stepped back before the sun, and fresh snow Pokemon stopped mere inches away from Electchu, whose face was turning pink.   
"Hello, ladies. What can I do for you?" Electchu asked.   
The two Pokemon replied with a series of "Esp," "Espeon," "Glace," and "Glaceon." Shockwave and Odyssey stared at the eeveelutions with the Riolu covering its mouth, surprised while the Kirlia's mouth hung open and its left eye was twitching. Electchu, on the other hand, grinned while Espeon and Glaceon flirted.  
"You were that amazed with me fighting those soldiers from up the balcony with my buddy, Timothy, huh?" It asked.  
"Espeon," Espeon replied, standing close to Electchu's right side.  
"Glaceon," Glaceon answered while moving closer to the mouse Pokemon's left side.   
By this point, Electchu's face had turned as red as his round cheeks, and it said with a goofy smile, "Well, I'm flattered that you find me so brave and loyal. If you don't mind, I'd like to get to know the two of you better."  
Espeon and Glaceon's flirtatious smirks grew, and they began nuzzling Electchu from both sides, making the mouse Pokemon chortle, "Oh, ho, Mademoiselles." Shockwave continued to stare with its mouth hung open, and Odyssey teared up again.  
"First, our boy, Timothy, is accepted into society, and now Electchu's dream has finally come true," it said. "This is the best day of our lives, Shockwave."  
"My...brain...hurts," Shockwave whimpered.   
Meanwhile, the people and Pokemon were still celebrating with Timothy while Ash, Serena, Pikachu, Sylveon, Sonia, Miette, Slurpuff, Archdeacon Sycamore, and Sister Sophie continued to watch. The raven-haired man and the honey blonde woman smiled with Serena's head resting on Ash's shoulder and her hand on his chest. Their partners stood close together, their sides touching, and Sonia was smirking as she watched the celebration with her arms crossed. Miette continued to watch until she decided to walk over to Ash and Serena with her hands behind her back.  
"So, you really love this guy, huh?" She asked.  
"I do," Serena answered without looking at her friend.   
The blunette woman smiled and turned to Ash.  
"Well, if that's the case, you better take good care of my friend, buster," she said.  
"I wouldn't have it any other way," Ash replied with a toothy grin as he wrapped his arm around Serena's waist. "And hey, who knows? Maybe you'll find a guy while we rebuild the city?"  
"You mean someone like one of you non-Arceans?" Miette asked. "No way. I'm staying a lonely maiden until I find someone among my kind."  
"I don't know, Miette. There aren't many bachelors among us," Serena teased.  
"Maybe, but we will find some fellow Arceans to come to join us here," Sonia said before she thought about it and said while playing with her side ponytail with her finger, "Though, I have to admit, living outside of the catacombs with a nice guy does sound nice."  
Ash and Serena giggled, and the former said, "Well, either way, the future is looking bright for all of us. Right, Serena?"  
Serena turned her head to look at Timothy, still beaming as he interacted with the crowd. She smiled and pecked Ash on the cheek.  
"Yes, Ash," she answered as she rested her head on his shoulder again. "A bright future for everyone."

****************************************************************

And so it was that with the citizens and Arceans uniting in fellowship, Lumiose City was rebuilt and expanded so that the Arceans had their own homes to live in. The people and Pokemon requested for Ash to become the new judge minister, but he wished to continue his duties as an enforcer of justice with Pikachu. Ultimately, as a matter of good faith between the separate groups, it was decided that Ash and Sonia would share the role of judge minister with Ash recruiting people and Pokemon from both faiths as the new soldiers of the city. The new captain of the guard never learned what became of his father, but it was clear that he would never see him or his army ever again.  
With Ash and Sonia in control of the Palace of Justice, they released the people and Pokemon that Markenel had tortured and imprisoned over the decades. Some Arceans could not join their brethren in being friends with those who were once their enemy, for they had experienced too much under Markenel's wrath. Thus after being compensated for what they went through, they left the Kalos region to safe havens worldwide.   
With so many people and Pokemon more willing to listen to him, Archdeacon Sycamore devoted his remaining years preaching the true word of the Lord. Many still held true to their trust in Arceus, but the head of the church's words helped them ease up while they were no longer in hiding. Eventually, some of them, like Serena, accepted the Lord into their lives sometime before she and Ash married and started a family with Pikachu and Sylveon raising their own. Despite being a devoted wife and mother, however, Serena continued to perform with Sylveon to lift the spirits of all she called her friend and neighbor.  
Timothy lived a blissful life in society with Electchu, Shockwave, Odyssey, and Electchu's mates, Espeon and Glaceon, by his side. It is unknown to this day if he eventually found the wonderful love he hoped to have with Serena and started his own family. Still, he often visited his mother's grave and continued to serve the church as the bell ringer until his old age. He and Miette were Ash and Serena's dearest friends to the very end, and they were like an uncle and aunt to their children.   
Overtime, Markenel and his horrible deeds faded into memory and eventually into history. Few people spoke of him save for educating their children of the time before and after the Lord's followers, and the Arceans began living together. Some would look back on the past and discuss how twisted and misguided he was, spending all of his life thinking he was a soldier for God under his false doctrine.  
There is, I should note, a great irony behind Markenel's life apart from having opposite beliefs of what the Lord commands. When he named the hunchback Timothy, he did so, thinking it was an insult to his enemy because it was the name of someone from the Bible. But when you look closer into the holy word, you would discover that the Apostle Paul, actually set out Saint Timothy to unite believers regardless of who they were and stop those who were spreading false doctrines. Please do not think that I say this to imply that Timothy the Hunchback's purpose was to do the same thing. He played a significant role in Markenel's defeat, but it was others like Ash, Serena, Sonia, and Archdeacon Sycamore who brought two groups of people and Pokemon together and rebuked the false teachings that Markenel spread out with his minions. But, regardless of what you believe, Markenel’s reason for naming the hunchback further shows how prideful and ignorant he was and how dangerous it was to everyone around him. In the words of C.S. Lewis, of all bad men, religious bad men are the worst. Of all created beings, the wickedest is one who originally stood in the immediate presence of God.  
Still, Markenel’s work was undone by the unity between the disciples of the Lord and the Arceans. The people and Pokemon of Lumiose City faced many trials to obtain the peace they worked for, but regardless of how they were different, they stood together in fellowship and love, and they were much better for it. I hope you will take wisdom in how important it is to love one another from this tale about a corrupt judge, a soldier longing for justice, a beautiful and benevolent performer, and the hunchback of Lumiose Cathedral.

The end

Author's note: Hey everybody. I hope you all really enjoyed The Hunchback of Lumiose Cathedral. This was a challenging story in terms of its content, and I'm glad with the result.  
Now, I've been getting questions about what my next Amourshipping story is or suggestions on what I should write about. The truth is I officially don't have any more stories planned since my hope is I will be focusing on a big, personal writing project for quite some time. With that said, it doesn't mean I'm never going to write an Amourshipping story ever again. There are some ideas that I'm not passionate about turning into stories right this minute, but maybe they could happen in the future. Heck, I thought I was throwing the towel with writing fanfiction after I finished The Road to our Destiny last January and instead I found myself writing five more stories over this past year including the Pokemon/Amourshipping stories, While You Were Sleeping and The Hunchback of Lumiose Cathedral. So, the future is bleak, but not set and stone.   
With that in mind, I have recently thought of a new Amourshipping story that I’m a little interested in, and that's an adaptation of one of my all-time favorite films and, as far as I'm concerned, the high king of underrated films: The Rescuers Down Under. This would be a unique story in that many of the characters would be Pokemon, including Ash and Serena as Pikachu. While I'm not married to the idea of making this story, I have thought enough about it that I can see how it could be a very fun story for you guys. At the moment, my goal is to finish the full first draft of my big project around August or September, and when I do I might write an Amourshipping adaptation of The Rescuers Down Under.  
Because I'm a big fan of the movie and I want it to gain more recognition, however, I would really like it if you guys watch it first long before writing an Amourshipping adaptation might become a real possibility. Watch it on Disney+, rent it on YouTube, check it out at your local library if you have the kind of library where you can borrow movies, however you are able to do it, check it out. It has George C. Scott as the villain, John Candy as the comic relief, there are some stellar moments of animation that only Disney could bring, it's fun, it's funny, it's a criminally underrated film that I hope you will all enjoy and will help you get hyped if I do make the story.   
Until then, my friends, thank you so much for reading, the Lord be with you all, and have a great day.


End file.
